Aladdin
by kckfchicks
Summary: So, you think you know the story of Aladdin? Think again! Hear Scheherazade's version in this take on the Disney movie. Authors switch from KC to KF after every Scheherazade interuption! FINISHED!R&R!
1. Aladdin

**Aladdin**

By Kirsten and Kylah

_Based on the Disney Movie_

**Chapter 1**

Scheherazade laid on her husband Riar's bed, with her head propped up on her arm and her dark hair hanging around her face. She glanced nervously out the window. She noted that the waxing crescent moon was slowly rising above the horizon, marking the beginning of a long night.

She turned her gaze as the bedroom door opened to reveal the handsome King Riar. Scheherazade beamed at him, watching as he stepped toward the bed with his vizier close at his heels.

"Goodnight, my lord and lady." The vizier replied smoothly. "I trust you'll sleep well."

"Thank you." Scheherazade replied. He left them, and her husband looked to her expectantly.

"What story will you be telling me tonight?" Riar asked. "If you wish to continue living as you have, then I suggest it keep me entertained for the night."

"Oh, it will, my lord." Scheherazade said eagerly. "I can promise you that." She had been thinking about this tale all day, and now it was time.

"Well?" He prompted. "What is it?"

"_Aladdin_, my king."

Riar looked at her with a trace of disappointment and frustration. Scheherazade looked down at the lacey bedspread. She had failed already.

"My dear," He said softly. "I have heard that story multiple times. There is no one in the land who hasn't." But then, being so quick on her feet, she came up with an idea.

"But my lord, you, like the rest of your kingdom, have only heard part of Aladdin's legend. For the real story is far better and enchanting than what you may believe." She said persuasively.

"The real story?" Riar repeated. He sounded intrigued. Perhaps Scheherazade would live to see another moon rise after all. "What else is involved in this 'real story?'" He asked her.

"But sire, I understand if you wish me to tell you a different story. For _Aladdin_ is so very well-known…" She added, just to gain more interest. "And if what really happened does not interest you, I wouldn't wish to bore you to sleep, sire."

"As your king, I demand you to tell me the story of _Aladdin_ as it really came to pass I will be the judge of how tedious it is." Riar said determinedly, and Scheherazade smiled softly.

Riar sat down on the bed, and rested his head in the pillow's cradle before closing his eyes, and began waiting for his wife to begin with her tale. Scheherazade cleared her throat and started:

"_Long ago, on a dark, star-filled night, a dark man waited with a very dark purpose …"_

A shadowy figure stood on the sand dune, seated grandly upon a horse that was as black as the night around him. A mangy thief by the name of Kassim approached him, wringing his tanned and blistered hands. The sand was cool between his toes, and a gentle breeze ruffled his black hair and his dirty robes.

"You're very late." The man on the horse muttered; his voice was smooth and clear. Kassim looked up at him apologetically. He noticed there was a brightly colored bird on his shoulder that squawked at him impatiently.

"A thousand apologies, O patient one." Kassim whispered. He decided to make up a worthy excuse. "The item you needed was hard to come by, and I, uh, had to slit a few throats to retrieve it."

"But you found it, didn't you?" The man asked. He looked down from his high horse at small Kassim hungrily.

"What? Oh, yes." Kassim answered, caught slightly off guard. He may have been a thief, but he did as he was told. "I have it here."

"Well? Then give it to me!" The man commanded. He sounded cross, but an odd smile slid across his face, lighting his features. The man was tall and skinny, from what Kassim could see, and he had a small goatee curling out of his chin. Kassim reached into his robes obediently, and pulled out half of a small, golden scarab beetle. It glittered impishly in the moonlight.

"Perfect…" The man murmured breathlessly. He reached into his own red and black robes to produce the beetle's other half. Kassim gaped as the man reached down from his stallion for Kassim's half of the scarab. With slight reluctance at losing such a valuable object, he handed the golden beetle to the man. He stared at the two halves greedily, as though this was the moment he had been waiting for his whole life.

"Well then." Kassim said gruffly. "If my work here is done, I'll just get my reward and be on my way…" He prompted, holding out his hands.

"You'll get what's coming to you, thief." He replied sharply. His voice alone caused Kassim to freeze in his place. He put his hands down, and looked up at the man again.

Now, he was putting the two halves together. Kassim found that he couldn't tear his eyes away from the sight. They both glittered and gleamed with some unknown magical power that the little thief was not aware of.

As soon as they were connected, the man took away his long-fingered hands, but the golden beetle hovered in the air. A small humming became apparent in the silent night.

Without any warning, the scarab flew through the crisp desert air. Kassim looked after it with mounting confusion.

"Go after it, fool!" The shadowy man yelled. Kassim did as he was told, and took off into the night, following the streak of purple that zipped through the sky.

Toppling over sand dunes, Kassim struggled to keep up with the man on his horse. The colored bird flew after his master, cawing with agitation. Kassim felt a queer surge of adventure and excitement pulsing through his veins as he quickened his pace, kicking up white sand as he went.

Finally, the man yanked on his steed's reins, it reared up, and then stopped. Kassim advanced, his eyes wide.

Before him, he saw the scarab break into two pieces once more. They hit the sand about three feet apart and lay there as though nothing had occurred. The man on the horse waited, and Kassim knew that this was not the end. There was a soft, almost indistinct rumbling, and the sand dune began to grow…

Larger and larger, it began to take the traces of a large skull, before Kassim's round, beady eyes. It seemed to form a tiger's head, as huge as two whole palaces. Kassim bit his chapped lip.

"At last!" The man exclaimed, joyously. "After all my years of searching!"

"Praise Allah…" Kassim muttered as the tiger's mouth rolled open, and a bright orange light filtered out of it and spilled onto the sand. And, to Kassim's utter amazement, it began to speak.

"The Cave of Wonders has been opened!" It bellowed. It's voice was rich and deep. The sound of it rang out across the desert, and echoed through Kassim's whole body.

"Your final task." The man on the horse whispered to Kassim. "I want you to go inside the cave, and bring me a golden lamp." He instructed. "Everything else, is yours." The bird squawked angrily at this, but the man just shot it a surpressing look.

Kassim took a moment to let this sink in. _Everything else_. Well, depending on what was in this cave, it seemed to be a worthy agreement. All he had to do was find one, stupid lamp.

"I'll do it." Kassim said, his determination surprising even him.

"Fantastic." The man chuckled. "And remember-- the lamp is mine."

Kassim walked forward across the sand toward the giant tiger's head. Nervously, he moved fast. The sooner he was out of the cave with the lamp, the better. Just as he was about to enter the sand-cave, the tiger began to speak again.

"Who dares to disturb my slumber?!" It shouted. Kassim shivered.

"It is only Kassim, the humble thief." He answered truthfully. Somehow, he thought this creature would know if he were lying.

"Only one may enter here!" The Cave declared. "The one whose worth lies far within!" Kassim looked over his shoulder to the man. He wanted to ask whether he was this one, but his voice wouldn't let him. So instead, he took another step towards the cave.

"Only the Diamond in the Rough may enter here!" It shouted. "Do not cross the threshold, or it will result in your doom!"

Kassim shivered. He had no doubts that this Cave had some mysterious power that was not safe to tangle with. He looked to the man behind him.

"Go on!" The man told him. "What are you waiting for? It's only sand! What can it do to you?"

Kassim realized that this was in fact true, and sand had never hurt him before, so it was unlikely to start now. But then again, the sand Kassim was used to didn't form giant tiger heads so near to midnight…

But Kassim took another step forward anyway, thinking of the wonderful treasures that would await inside, and the supernatural tales he could tell his friends the next morning. As soon as his feet first touched the lip of the tiger, he paused, waiting.

Nothing happened, and he grinned foolishly, consumed in his own pride. But the next second, the sand tiger let out a huge, ear-splitting roar, and quickly closed it's massive jaws, and Kassim was pulled inside. His robes were caught in the Cave's mouth; left screaming in fear and pain.

"Help!" He shouted, but it was to no avail. The Cave of Wonders swallowed him whole, with one colossal bite of its gargantuan lips.

The man did nothing but pat his horse's neck and wait. A small smile crept over his face, as the thief was consumed into the Cave's depths.

"Seek thee out…" The Cave called, as it slowly started to topple into an ordinary sand dune. "…The Diamond in the Rough." The last phrase echoed throughout the night sky, reaching up to the stars and etching itself in the man's memory. He rode his horse towards the dune to collect the two scarab beetle halves that had jetted down to the earth. With a small snap of his fingers, they flew into his hands.

"Well." The bird perched on the man's shoulder said sarcastically. "That was great. I can't believe you were offering him _my treasure_ to get you that lamp stupid lamp. You can just forget it! We're never going to find it."

"Hush, Iago. Had he returned alive, I would have killed him—then you would have your treasure." The man said. "Kassim was obviously less than worthy to enter the Cave of Wonders."

Iago paused in anger. "What a surprise. I think I'm going to die from not surprise! What're we going to do?! We've got a big problem here, Jafar!"

The man called Jafar said nothing at first, but only stared at the two golden beetle halves that rested harmlessly in his open palms. "Not anyone can enter The Cave of Wonders, Iago." He said to his bird. "Only the Diamond in the Rough."

Iago clacked his beak. "Well, sure, Jafar. But who is it? Not you, or that thief."

"No, but we will know in time, my idiotic friend. In time." Jafar said contently. "We will have that lamp soon enough. We must find this one, this Diamond in the Rough…" And he clucked his horse forward, and rode back towards the city of Agrabah with the two beetle halves hidden in his dark robes.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

The seventeen-year-old boy quickly swerved around a tall building's corner, breathing heavily, with his pet monkey, Abu, close on his heels. He paused, trying to decide whether it would be best to run right or left. He chose right, and Abu jumped to his shoulders.

His feet stomping on the dusty earth, he rounded another corner and leaped into an ally-way.

He tried to catch his breath, as he watched the palace guards fly by his small hiding place, shouting, "We'll get you this time, boy! No more stealing from you! You won't get away so easy!"

"They think this is easy?!" He whispered to Abu. Looking at the small loaf of bread he held in his hands, he wondered if one dinner was really worth all this effort. But, it was his only source of entertainment, so he shrugged, and clamped his teeth on the bread, and started to scale the wall, with Abu clinging to his neck.

His black hair blew in the sand-filled wind, but he ignored it. When he reached the top, he wiped his dirty hands on his dirtier pants, and took the bread out of his mouth. Abu hopped to the floor with a chirrup. 

"There you are, boy!" The Head Guard shouted, drawing his sword. The boy stared at it.

"Come on now," He said, taking a step back towards the edge of the building. Abu scooted fearfully behind his legs. "No need for violence!"

"You're coming with me, boy." The Head Guard replied, rubbing his shadowed face with his left hand. The boy paused, considering. He could give up now, or…

He quickly turned, and leaped over the crevice that was the ally, and landed feet first on a building only three feet away. Smiling triumphantly, he and his monkey took off again. He chuckled at the curses of the Guard that followed him as he shimmied down the side of the building and into a window.

A woman screamed. The boy winced, and realized that he had just landed in someone's house.

"Sorry, ma'am…" He muttered.

"You get out of my house, Aladdin!" She shouted at him. "You dirty thief!" She screeched at Abu, as he gingerly fingered her fruit bowl.

"Abu, get out of there!" Aladdin cried. "We'll leave…"

The woman looked at him sympathetically. "Well, I'd blame your parents, but…" He had no parents. "Are they after you again?" The woman asked. Aladdin knew that she meant the guards, so he nodded. She sighed. "You get into trouble too much, Aladdin."

"You're only in trouble if you get caught!" He said, but he was already out the door with Abu, leaping down sets of stairs, two at a time. When he emerged, he was in another ally. And there were the guards, right on cue, pointing and shouting, "There he is!" and "Get 'im!"

Aladdin grinned, and turned down the other way. He could lose them easily. It didn't matter that he was horribly out numbered- he and Abu did this everyday. He left the alley and was on the main street; not a good place for a chase, but oh well. He passed by the smelly fish stand, and saw that up ahead was the coal-walker.

Aladdin hopped across them, knowing that the stupid guards would follow. His tough bare feet felt the hot coals, but he focused on the bread in his hands, and overlooked it. Passing a flock of sheep, he looked over his shoulder, and saw that the guards did walk through the coals.

"Those idiots, huh Abu?" He muttered. Their sandaled feet weren't used to running on the crowded streets of Agrabah, like Aladdin was. He was street-smart and had been since he was very young, when he had awoken one morning to see his parents gone.

Finally, when he thought that he and Abu had put enough distance between the guards and themselves, he ducked into another side alley, and leaned against a wall to enjoy his well-deserved meal.

But just as Aladdin was about to break the bread for him and Abu, he noticed two homeless children, poking through a deserted trash barrel, searching for food. The youngest, who was a small boy, was watching Aladdin tearing his bread with great interest.

Aladdin paused before eating. A memory of his childhood resurfaced in his brain. When he was five, he was just like these two- fishing for nourishment anywhere he could; wanting the food and the home that most other children had. Agrabah was a rough place for growing up alone and unprotected.

Without even realizing it, Aladdin had stood up. He slowly approached the two children, with a hesitant smile on his lips.

"Here," He said, offering the seven-year-old girl his loaf of bread. She shook her head. "No, really. Take it." Aladdin pressed, placing the bread in her hands. "I want you to have it."

She stared at him for a moment, unsure about his kind gesture. But the young boy grinned, and tugged on his sister's sleeve. She smiled at Aladdin, and handed the bread to her brother, grinning.

"Abu?" Aladdin prompted. Abu reluctantly came over, and handed the girl the other half loaf. "Eat it." Aladdin said, and she smiled again, and took a bite of its doughy goodness that Aladdin and Abu had worked so hard to steal. He sighed, but smiled.

Suddenly, he heard a loud trumpeting from the main street. Curious, Aladdin walked toward the sound, and the two youngsters and Abu followed at his heels. A large crowd of people were gathered on the sides of the streets, and watched intently.

"What's going on?" Aladdin asked one of them.

The man didn't look at him, but stared at the man dressed in all crimson and gold that rode a snow-white horse. "Another suitor for the princess." He replied.

Suddenly, the little boy at Aladdin's side ran forward towards the horse, giggling. His sister made to grab him, but missed, so she too dashed out into the street.

The white horse made an abrupt stop, and whinnied angrily. The man curled his black moustache with his finger, and slowly pulled out a whip. "Get out of my way, filthy brats!" He shouted, bringing down the whip.

Aladdin rushed into the street, and put out his arm to protect the children. "Get out of here, boy!" The rich man yelled at him. Abu shook his small fist at the man.

"If I were as rich as you, I think I could afford some manners" Aladdin said to him bitterly. He tossed the whip back up into the man's face. "Do you think you're better than us?"

The man didn't answer, but clucked his horse to move forward. It did so, but Aladdin stepped in the way. "Answer me!" He shouted.

"You are an urchin, and are not of significance." The man snarled. He urged his horse forward towards the palace gates. "You are a nothing but a worthless street rat. You were born a street rat and you will die a street rat, and only your fleas will mourn you!" And with that, the palace gates slammed closed, and left Aladdin pounding on them in anger.

"I'm not worthless!" He declared. "And I don't have fleas!"

Frowning in frustration, he left the laughing crowd. They never cared about anything. He tried to stick up for all of them-- but they didn't care. Slowly, and sadly, he made his way to his dilapidated home and Abu followed trustingly, his little head down.

Aladdin climbed the ladder, and leaped across a building with the help of his dependable pole. Then, he climbed into an abandoned floor of an old house. He pulled back the torn cloth that he used as a curtain to watch the sun set over Agrabah.

The view was marvelous. The huge palace, glowing gold in the sinking red sun and the rest of his home city settling down for sleep. The whole kingdom seemed drenched in the warm glow of the dying sun, and as Aladdin stared at the palace he only had one wish.

"Abu, someday, we'll be rich, live in a huge palace, and not have any worries at all…" He sighed. But Abu was already asleep, and Aladdin was alone to watch the moon rise over the palace.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

"How _dare_ she!" Prince Achmed, dressed in crimson and gold, shouted to the Sultan. "And how dare _you_ let her humiliate me like that!" He clutched the seat of his pants, where that damned tiger, Raja, had ripped them. Raja was going to ruin everything for the Sultan's daughter. He adjusted his turban.

"Now, Prince Achmed!" The short Sultan replied convincingly. "Please- stay! I'll get her to behave!"

"There is no way I'm going to stay here and _disgrace_ myself again! I am very sorry, highness!" Achmed shouted, as he slammed the palace doors behind him. Fuming, the Sultan headed out to the garden, fiddling with his long, white beard.

There, he saw his daughter, the Princess Jasmine, sitting on the fountain, stroking her tiger, Raja. "Jasmine! Prince Achmed has just stormed out of the castle, taking away all hopes of becoming your suitor!"

"Oh, father. Raja was just playing with him." Princess Jasmine said, turning to her tiger, fondly. "You were just playing with that over-dressed, self-absorbed, Prince Achmed, weren't you?!"

"Dearest, you've got to stop rejecting every suitor who comes to call!" The Sultan cried out in anger. "You know the law! 'The princess must be married-'"

"'To a prince, by my 17th birthday.' The law is _wrong_." Jasmine interjected. She brushed back her long, black hair, and looked down into the water of the fountain.

"But you've only got three more days!" The Sultan said.

"I just hate being forced into this, father." Jasmine said softly, running her finger through the clear water of the fountain. "And if I do marry, I want it to be for love."

"It's not only that law… I'm not going to be around forever, Jasmine. I just want to know that you'll be provided for, and taken care of." The Sultan told her, taking both of her hands into his own, and looking into her mother's almond eyes.

"Please try to understand: I've never done a thing on my own. I've never even had any real friends- well, other than Raja. I haven't even been outside the palace walls!" Jasmine said sorrowfully.

Her father considered this. "But Jasmine, dearest, you are a princess." Was his response.

"Well, then maybe I don't want to be a princess anymore!" Jasmine confirmed angrily.

The Sultan was infuriated. He turned to leave, but snorted to Raja, "Allah forbid _you_ should have any daughters!"

Stomping into the palace, he sat down on his huge, elephant-head-shaped throne, and frowned. She didn't want to be a princess? Was it so much to ask she be married to a prince and produce his heirs? Where did she get her stubbornness? His wife hadn't been so picky… In his rage, he didn't even notice his Grand Vizier enter the room.

"Sire," The vizier, Jafar, replied. The Sultan looked up at him.

"Thank Allah you're here, Jafar. I could use your wisdom." He said. "Jasmine refuses to marry any of the suitors I choose for her! What am I to do? I'm at my wits-end!"

"Awk! Wits-end!" Iago squawked. The Sultan smiled at the parrot, and pulled out a biscuit for it.

"You have such a way with _dumb_ animals, sire." Jafar looked at him as he shoved the snack in the bird's beak, and gripped his cobra staff tightly. "Perhaps, I could help you with your problem, majesty. All I need is the mystic blue diamond ring…"

The Sultan stared. "The blue diamond ring? But Jafar, it's been in my family for centuries-- I'd never let it out of my sight!"

A flicker of anger jumped across Jafar's face. He tapped his staff on the marble floor. Immediately, the Sultan's sight went a blurry red… everything seemed hazy, and dream-like…

Words and sounds flitted about the Sultan's brain woozily… nothing was solid, making nothing to worry about… Then the staff's cobra head became clear… and reflected in it's bright eyes was Jafar's turbaned head…

It spoke to the Sultan, saying, "You will give it to me! If you do, everything will be fine."

"Everything will be… fine…" The Sultan repeated lazily, as he slipped the valuable blue ring off his little finger, and placed it in Jafar's misty outstretched hand.

"You are most gracious, my liege." Jafar replied foggily. The Sultan could hear the faint tap of the staff on the marble floor. "Now go off and sit on your throne, sire."

When the ring was safe in Jafar's pocket, he tapped his magical staff on the floor once more, removing the Sultan from the spell. The Sultan looked groggy and confused, as he always did when Jafar hypnotized him.

"You are most gracious, my liege." He said, smiling with triumph. "Now, go off and sit on your throne, sire." The Sultan nodded slowly, and moved to his grand chair. Iago squawked.

When they were out of earshot, the bird spat out the remains of the biscuit. "I can't take it anymore, Jafar! I never want to taste one of those disgusting crackers again! I swear, the second I'm a man again, he will taste my wrath…"

Coming from Iago, this didn't sound very threatening. "Calm yourself, my feathered friend." He said smugly. "Very soon _we'll_ be the one's in charge."

"And I'll be the one stuffing crackers down _his_ throat…" Iago thought happily.

Jafar let out an amused laugh, as he pulled on the tassel of a lamp, and a section of the wall slid open to reveal his secret lair.

Early the next morning when the moon was about to slip away into day, Jasmine crept into the garden dressed as a commoner. She clutched her drab, brown robes tightly against the cool dawn air. Passing the fountain, she recalled the argument with her father that afternoon.

Jasmine didn't want to upset her father, but castle life just wasn't for her-- she wanted to be free to make her own choices, and marry whomever she wished.

She hurried to the wall, and tried to decide the best way to climb over it. Behind her, she heard a small growl. She turned, and saw Raja looking after her sadly.

She knelt next to him, and stroked his head. "I'm sorry, Raja." She whispered. "I just can't stay here." With that, Raja helped boost her up, and she scaled the wall with ease. She muttered a goodbye, and hopped down.

Her heart was beating fast. She had never been alone outside the palace walls. What should she do?

Fearfully, she walked toward the main streets of Agrabah, hoping to find the compelling life that she had always prayed for.

Scheherazade paused, and coughed, her throat dry from talking. She reached towards the bedside table and grabbed a golden goblet and the pitcher next to it.

"Why have you stopped?" Riar demanded.

"Thirsty." She said, filling the glass and drinking from it deeply.

"Well, what happens next?" He asked.

"So you like my story, then?" Scheherazade asked him, smiling. She placed the cup back on the table, and looked at her husband.

"I'm not sure yet." He said, but she could tell that he did. "But as your king, I command you to continue."

Scheherazade glanced out the window, and saw that the moon was still rising in the sky… a long time until morning…


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Aladdin and Abu sat upon the canvas stretched over the posts of a melon stand, whispering to each other so the proprietor below would not hear. The two were obviously formulating a plot to get their next meal. Aladdin quickly peeked over the canvas side and pronounced the coast clear.

"Okay, Abu go!" Aladdin didn't have to tell him twice. The monkey dove over the side, hanging upside down by his tail. He took the melons in with greedy little eyes. The fruit seller, not noticing the monkey yet, continued to advertise his product to the passing crowd.

"Try this, your taste buds will dance and sing." Abu took this chance to grab a large, ripe, melon. "Hey get your paws off that!" The merchant yelled outraged with the little thief.

"Blah blah blah!" Abu chirped tauntingly.

"Why, you! Get away from here, you filthy ape!" The proprietor snatched the melon away from Abu and carefully set it back down, while Aladdin dipped down behind him and took another from the stand.

"Bye, bye." The monkey waved his little hand and jumped back atop the canvas to join his friend.

"Nice goin' Abu. Breakfast is served."

Jasmine continued down the street trying to take in all the wonders of the market place in at once. 'It's such a different world out here.' She thought to herself as she readjusted her hood.

"Pretty lady, buy a pot. No finer pot in brass or silver." A merchant called as she walked by, bringing her out of her thoughts and back to the busy market.

Jasmine moved on to the next stall. "Sugar dates, sugar dates and figs! Sugar dates and pistachios." Another yelled.

"Would the lady like a necklace? A pretty necklace for a pretty lady." The shopkeeper from the adjacent stall asked. She was charmed by the action and about to thank him and politely refuse, but was startled by a fish thrust into her face.

"Fresh fish! We catch 'em, you buy 'em!"

"I don't think so," The runaway princess said shaking her head and backing away from the stands, only to bump into a fire breather. The performer then accidentally swallowed his flaming torch. "Oh, excuse me," She apologized "I'm really very sorry."

"It's alright, miss." The man stuttered and ran off for water.

Still perched upon the canvas, Aladdin and Abu were enjoying their lifted melons. He was about to take another bite, when Aladdin caught sight of the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. He watched her large curious eyes take in all around her as she gracefully sauntered down the street. The boy's mind was no longer in the market place, but miles away and only aware of the creature his eyes beheld.

"Wow." He breathed. The feasting monkey took notice of his best friend's state and jumped to his shoulder.

"Uh oh… Hello? Hello?" Abu chirped in Aladdin's ear.

Jasmine continued only to stop at a fruit stand where a young boy was pathetically reaching for an apple. He looked like he was no older then five and completely famished.

"Oh, you must be hungry. Here you go." She picked up a piece of fruit and handed it to the young boy. He stared at the food in his small hands then turned his wide eyes on the princess. He gave her an astonished look, as if he understood something she did not, and ran away.

"You better be able to pay for that." A voice growled at Jasmine from behind.

"Pay?" She asked, mystified, to a large man leaning over the apple stand.

"No one steals from my cart!" The proprietor declared coming around the pushcart.

"I'm… I'm sorry sir, I don't have any money." Jasmine said fearfully.

"Thief!" He accused coming toward her.

"Please, if you let me go to the palace, I can get some from the Sultan." She pleaded inching away from the stall.

"Do you know what the penalty is for stealing?" The merchant roared, grabbing Jasmine's arm and pinning it down to the cart top. He reached for a sword and lightly ran it across her upper wrist. She winced as the cold steel stung her and a thin line of crimson blood appeared. The man let out a sinister laugh as he raised the sword to do away with her hand. The sword dropped but a boy stopped his hand.

"Thank you, kind sir. I'm so glad you've found her!" He told the sword wielding man. "I've been looking all over for you." The boy said directing his attention to her.

"What are you doing?" Jasmine whispered confusedly into his ear.

"Just play along." He whispered back.

"You know this girl?" the owner asked.

"Sadly yes; she is my sister. She's a little crazy." He said circling his finger around his ear indicating her insanity. Jasmine's mouth dropped slightly. 'Crazy?' she thought to herself. She then quickly closed her mouth remembering to play along.

The merchant grabbed the boy who had come to her rescue by the vest and snarled, "She said she knows the Sultan."

"She thinks the monkey is the Sultan." The street boy explained, jabbing a thumb at Abu. The monkey, who was going through someone's pocket heard his friend and straightened up giving a shy wave to the crowd. Jasmine decided to play it out, kneeled and bowed to the thieving animal.

"Oh, wise Sultan how may I serve you?"

"Well, blah blah blah blah." 

"Tragic isn't it?" The boy said grabbing another apple from behind the man's back and handing it to him. "But, no harm done." He walked over to Jasmine and pulled her up by the arm. "Now come along sis, time to see the doctor.

     "Hello doctor." She said stupidly, walking up to a near by camel. "How are you?"

     "No, no, no. Not that one." The boy told her leading her away. "Come on, _Sultan."_ He called to his furry friend. Pockets bulging, Abu bowed to the crowd and everything he'd taken from the cart fell out.

"Huh? What is this?" The merchant asked. Abu gathered up what he could carry and the trio ran off. "Come back here you little thieves!" The man yelled in a feeble attempt to get back what was stolen.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5 

Back at the castle Jafar and Iago were making good use of the Sultan's blue diamond ring. The advisor had the parrot running on the gear of a bizarre contraption. At the top of the machine a storm brewed, lighting bolts striking out in all directions.

"With all due respect, Your Rottenness, couldn't we just wait for a real storm?" Iago puffed, trying to keep a steady pace on the wheel.

"Save your breath, Iago." Jafar demanded placing the ring between two prongs on top of an hourglass. "Faster!"

"Yes, O Mighty Evil One." Panted Iago, too winded for sarcasm. He sped up and a lighting bolt streaked through the diamond passing into the hourglass below. The sand inside began to swirl.

"Ah, sands of time-- reveal to me the one who can enter the Cave." Jafar said in a voice dripping with honey. The swirling sand of the hourglass formed the great tiger's head that was the Cave of Wonders. But then the cave fell through and revealed a boy climbing up a ladder. What was this? He was being followed, followed by no other then the missing princess dressed as a commoner. This was too easy. "Yes, yes! There he is; my diamond in the rough!"

"That's him?!?! That's the clown we've been waitin' for?" Iago squawked, losing his footing and getting stuck in the gears of the evil advisor's machine.

"Let's have the guards extend him an invitation to the palace, shall we?" Jafar said with an evil smile. Iago unwedged himself from the contraption and still disgruntled, flew past Jafar and slammed into the wall.

"Swell."    

Aladdin reached the top of the ladder, followed by the girl he helped in the market place. "Almost there." He said helping her up. She got to the top, but tripped and fell into his arms. She quickly straightened up.

"I want to thank you for stopping that man." She told Aladdin sincerely.

"Uh, forget it." He said grabbing a pole. "So, uh, this is your first time in the market place, huh?" Aladdin vaulted to the next building leaving the girl on the other side.

"Is it that obvious?" She asked.

"Well you do kinda stand out." He reasoned and started staring at her, then realizing what he was doing, looked away. "I mean, uh, you don't seem to know how dangerous Agrabah can be." Aladdin laid a plank between the buildings so she could walk across, but as he leaned down to straighten the plank she hurdled over his head. He looked back up in surprise and she tossed the pole to him. Both Abu and Aladdin's eyes bulged.

"I'm a fast learner." She said off handedly.

"Right. C'mon, this way." They went inside the roof of a building, dodging planks and beams as they went. "Whoa, watch your head there, be careful." Aladdin told her.

"Is this were you live?" She asked, studying his living space.

"Yep, just me and Abu. Come and go as we please."

"Fabulous." The girl sighed wistfully.

"Well, it's not much," he pulled back the curtain that exposed the palace and the city. "But it's got a great view. Palace looks pretty amazing, huh?"

"Oh, it's wonderful" She said, not really meaning it.

"I wonder what it would be like to live there, to have servants and valets…"

"Oh, sure, people tell you where to go and how to dress." She argued.

"It's better then here, always scraping for food and ducking the guards." He told her.

"You're not free to make your own choices." She said

"Sometimes you feel so--"                

"You're just--"

"Trapped."  They said in unison.  Aladdin, for the second time that day, stared at the girl and once again stopped himself before she noticed. "So...uh, where're you from?" he asked.

"What does it matter?" she replied, her eyes looking downcast. "I ran away and I'm not going back."

"Really?" Aladdin asked taking a bite from his apple then handing it to Abu.

"Humph!" The monkey huffed, crossing his arms. Aladdin ignored him and went to sit down next to the girl.

"My father is forcing me to get married." She confessed.

"That's--that's awful." He said. As they spoke, Abu slinked down behind the girl and positioned himself to grab her apple. Keeping an eye on the two, he slowly reached his hand to get it, and his fingers were almost touching it when--

"Abu!" scolded Aladdin, shooing his pet away. Abu raced up to a higher point, chattering angrily as he went.

"What?" The girl asked, a bit confused.

"Abu says that--uh--that's not fair" Aladdin told her trying to smooth over Abu's doing.

"Oh did he?" She smiled.

"Yeah, of course."  He nodded.

"And does _Abu_ have anything else to say?" She asked sweetly, catching his scheme.

"Well, uh, he wishes there was something he could do to help." Aladdin said sitting down next to her again.

"Oh boy." Abu chirped rolling his eyes.

"Tell him that's very… sweet." The girl said to Aladdin. Slowly, and undecidedly, the two moved in to kiss. Their heads were inches from each other, when suddenly--

"Here you are!" A handful of palace guards busted through the door, swords drawn.

"They found me!" The girl and Aladdin yelped at the same time. "They're after _you?"_

"My father must have sent them--" She panicked, her heart pounding.

"Do you trust me?" Aladdin asked her, running up to the window.

"What?" She asked, bewildered.

"Do you trust me?" He asked again extending his hand.

"Yes." She said, taking it with trivial hesitation.

"Then jump!" He called, pulling her out the window. They jumped off the roof and landed in a pile of sand. Scrambling to their feet, they attempted to put some distance between them and the guards, but the head guard blocked the way.

"We just keep running into each other, don't we, street rat?" But before he could reach the two fugitives Abu dropped down from above and jumped on the guard's turban, blocking his eyes. He pulled Abu off his head and threw him into a vase. The other three guards grabbed Aladdin.

"It's the dungeons for you, boy."

"Hey! Get off of me." He struggled, to no avail.

"Let go of him!" The girl protested.

"Look what we have here men--a street mouse!" The guard chuckled, amused by his own brains, and threw her down.

"Unhand him, by order of the princess!" Said the girl, standing up and throwing off the hood of her cloak.

The guards' jaws dropped and their eyes budged as they hurriedly bowed, forcing an astonished Aladdin down with them.

"Princess Jasmine!" Gasped the guard who had thrown her down.

"The princess?" Aladdin whispered.

"The princess?" Abu chirped from inside the vase.

"What are you doing outside the palace?" Asked the baffled guard, regaining himself enough to speak.

"That is not of your concern. Do as I say: release him." Jasmine commanded once again.

"Well, I would, princess, but my orders are from Jafar. You'll have to take it up with him." He offered to the angry princess. The guards then left, dragging Aladdin and bowing as they went.

"Believe me I will." Jasmine muttered to their backs.

Jafar opened the door to his lab revealing the palace. He slowly slid the door shut so no one would hear, but Princess Jasmine came storming in before he could fully close it. Jafar quickly slammed it shut, pinning Iago, who was following him, inside the doorframe.

"Jafar?" Jasmine yelled to the adviser.

"Oh, uh, Princess."

"Awk! Jafar, I'm stuck!" Iago called desperately. Ignoring the bird's plea for help Jafar bowed, spreading his cape and hiding the unclosed door.

"How may I be of service to you?" He asked.

"The guards just took a boy from the market, on your orders." She began.

"Your father has charged me with keeping peace in Agrabah. The boy was a criminal."

"What was his crime?" She interrogated further.

"I can't breath Jafar!" Iago complained again, hoping his master would heed him and open the door. He was once again denied freedom from the door's clutches when Jafar continued his conversation.

"Why, kidnapping the princess, of course." He replied smoothly.

"If you could just--" The parrot tried again. Jafar kicked Iago back inside the door and shut it the rest of the way. "Wow, that hurt."

"He didn't kidnap me; I ran away!" Jasmine protested.

"Oh dear!" The advisor gasped and walked away as if shocked. "Oh, how frightfully upsetting. Had I but known..."

"What do you mean?" She inquired.

"Sadly, the boy's sentence has already been carried out." He replied.

"What sentence?" She asked him and immediately regretted it.

"Death," He said in a sinister tone. "By beheading."

"No!" Jasmine gasped shaking her head, not wanting to believe what she was being told.

"I'm _exceedingly_ sorry, princess." Jafar lied.

"How could you?" Said in angry whisper and ran from the room, her face in her hands.  Iago finally made it through the door and flew onto Jafar's shoulder. He brushed off his feathers and watched the princess disappear around the corner.

"So, how did it go?" He asked.

"I think she took it… rather well." Jafar told him, a menacing smile spreading across his face and jumping to Iago's.

Soft sobs could be heard from the garden where Jasmine had her face buried in Rajah's fur. It was night and shadows draped across the palace. The princess sat on the fountain, which was spouting soothingly.

"It's all my fault Rajah. I didn't even know his name." She said petting her tiger, begging for comfort from him. Yet nothing could make her forget the boy from the market place and his horrible end. The thought of the ax taking his life only threw her into a new wave of tears and sorrow.

Even though she only had known him for a very short time he was the only one who made her feel like a person and not a fragile piece of glass. What had come from her fortune of meeting him? His _mis_fortune of being hunted down and executed, and she couldn't help but feel responsible for his death.

A rat scurried through the bared window and onto the street outside. Aladdin watched it with envy, wishing he could fit threw the bars, or at least unchain his hands from the wall.  He was alone in the dungeon, with no one to talk to but himself. "She was the princess," he said to himself. "I don't believe it, I must have sounded so stupid to her!"  He scolded himself.

"Yep." Abu chirped from the window.

"Abu--down here!  Hey, c'mon--help me outta these." Aladdin called to his fury companion.  Abu came up to him and started chattering wildly, pulling his vest over his head and making his eyes big and girly, imitating the princess.

"Hey, she was in trouble. Ah, she was worth it." He told the monkey. Abu jumped to Aladdin's shoulder and pulled out a tool, which he used to pick the lock on his friend's restraints.  "Don't worry Abu, I'll never see her again," he assured the monkey, while rubbing his sore wrists. "I'm a street rat remember, and there's a law. She's gotta marry a prince; she deserves a prince. I'm--I'm a fool."

"You're only a fool if you give up boy." Said an old man sitting in the far corner of the dungeon. A confused look came over Aladdin's face. He thought he had been alone.

"Who are you?" He asked the old man.

"A lowly prisoner like yourself, but together perhaps we can be more." He said in reply.

"I'm listening." Aladdin told him, interested in what the man might have to offer.

"There is a cave boy; a Cave of Wonders. Filled with treasure beyond your wildest dreams. Treasure enough to impress your princess, I'd wager." The old man said excitedly. The old man turned out of Aladdin's view momentarily, and Iago stuck his head out of Jafar's costume.

"Jafar can you hurry? I'm dying in here." Iago asked. Jafar stuffed the annoying parrot back in to a pocket.

"But the law says that only a prince can marry--" Aladdin started. He had not noticed the bird.

"You've heard the golden rule, haven't you boy?" The "old man" grinned showing a horrible set if teeth.  "Whoever has the gold makes the rules!"

"So why would you share all this wonderful treasure with me?" The curious boy asked.

"I need a young man with a strong pair of legs and a strong back to go in after it." He said tapping Aladdin's legs and back with his cane for empathies.

"Ah, there's one problem- it's out there, and we're in here." He rebutted against the old man.  He smiled again and hobbled over to the wall and pushed back a large building stone to make an exit.

"Mmm, mmm, mmm, things aren't always as they seem. So, do we have a deal?" He asked. Aladdin looked to Abu who shrugged his shoulders.

Abu was perched upon Aladdin's shoulder as they walked through the desert. His friend was leading a horse that the strange old man from the dungeon sitting on top. They had been walking for the longest time and Abu was starting to think that they were lost and there was no Cave of Wonders. Then he caught sight of something coming up over the next sand dune, it was huge. The little monkey could hardly believe his eyes., a giant cave of sand shaped as a tiger's head.

"This is it boy." The old man declared. Aladdin dropped the horse's reins and starred at the cave in astonishment. He slowly approached the cave with Abu still riding on his shoulder.

"Who disturbs my slumber?"  The cave growled, the monkey tried to hide under his friend's hat.

"It is I, Aladdin." He offered to the sand-tiger.

"Proceed. Touch nothing but the lamp." It warned. The cave opened its mouth with a roar and revealed a flight of stairs, drenched in golden light.

"Remember boy: first fetch me the lamp and then you will get your reward." The old man called from horse-top. Aladdin nodded in response and began to descend the sand staircase.

"Wow." Aladdin's gasp brought Abu out of hiding, and the sights made _him_ gasp. The room was filled to bursting with gold coins and precious stones. "Would you look at that!" Aladdin exclaimed to the monkey. Abu's eyes glazed over as he stared at the wealth and riches surrounding him. "Just a handful of this stuff would make me richer then the Sultan."

"Uh huh!" Abu agreed. He took in all around him and then just couldn't take it anymore. He jumped off Aladdin's shoulder and raced to the treasure. He was about to dive in when-

"Abu!" Aladdin yelled. Abu stopped in mid-step of his frenzied run to the gold, and was hovering over a rug on the ground.

"Don't…touch…_anything_. We gotta find that lamp." He scolded. They began their way again through the room when Abu got the feeling that they were being followed.

"Huh?" He chirped, looking behind him, but seeing nothing but a dark purple carpet on the floor. A strangely familiar carpet… but he started to follow Aladdin again. Still it felt as though something was after them, and to his terror, something pulled his tail. Abu jumped looked behind him again to see a dark violet carpet rolled up against a pile of gold. The _same_ carpet from before… Abu yelped and ran to Aladdin and tugged on his pant leg.

"Abu! Will ya knock it off?" He asked, shaking the monkey off his leg. Abu still wasn't convinced and kept looking over his shoulder, then, something tapped him.

Abu jumped three feet in the air and landed in a karate stance, when his hat was plucked off his head. Abu looked in all directions to find that the culprit was none other than a carpet hovering over his head. Abu ran fearfully to Aladdin and turned his friend's head around to see the evil carpet.

"Abu, what are you--crazy?" Aladdin accused. The carpet peeked out from behind a pile of treasure.

"A magic carpet," He breathed. "C'mon… c'mon out. I'm not going to hurt you." The magical rug slowly came out, then shyly picked up Abu's hat and dusted it off with a tassel. It flew over and handed the monkey his hat, but instead of taking it, Abu screeched and jumped to Aladdin's shoulder again.

"Take it easy Abu, he's not gunna bite." He tried reasoning with his furious pet. The carpet tried again, but the monkey only chattered and screeched and shook a fist at it.

Sadly, it began to walk away with its head hanging in dismay.

"Hey, wait a minute, don't go! Maybe you can help us." Abu put his face in his hands and shook his head. Aladdin just _had_ to call it back, huh? The carpet looked back excitedly, then flew over and wrapped its self around Aladdin.

"Hey, whoa!" Aladdin said trying to calm down the hyperactive tapestry. "You see, we're trying to find this lamp..."

At hearing this, the carpet motioned for the two to follow it. "I think he knows where it is." Aladdin said, grabbing Abu and chasing after it.

They passed through a long cave until they emerged into a giant and dim underground cavern. In the center of the room, there was a tall stone pillar with a staircase leading to the very top where the lamp, resting on a podium, was just visible. A beam of light made the lamp glint gold as if begging to be taken. The pillar was surrounded by water where an uneven set of stepping-stones formed a bridge.

"Wait here." Aladdin instructed Abu and the carpet. The monkey crossed his arms; he was stuck with the evil rug while Aladdin went for the lamp.

Well, while he was there he might as well look around. Then, something wonderful filled Abu's eyes. It was the biggest jewel he had ever seen, and he was instantly hypnotized with greed by the ruby's value. It sat in the paws of a large golden monkey shrine. Abu reached for it as the carpet noticed and pulled his tail in vain, trying to keep him from the jewel.

"This is it?" Aladdin had reached the lamp and was holding it, looking at what all this trouble was over. "This is what we came all the way down here to--" the cavern began to shake and rumble uncontrollably, Aladdin looked down to see Abu with a giant ruby in his paws.

"INFIDELS!" The cave's voice roared with all its might. "You have touched the forbidden treasure!" Abu made a pathetic attempt to right everything, as he placed the jewel back in the hands of the golden monkey, but the ruby and the shrine melted into popping lava. "Now you will never see the light of day _again!"_ The cave bellowed again.

Aladdin raced down the pillar steps, but they flattened into a ramp and he skidded down until he flew into the air when the slide formed a lip. The surrounding water had turned into lava. He was certain he was to die a fiery death, when out of nowhere the carpet caught him.

He spotted Abu jumping up and down, waving his arms on one of the stepping-stones. Aladdin started to fly over to him, when the stones on either side of the monkey exploded into molten rock. Aladdin snatched Abu just as his stone burst.

"Come on carpet, let's move." He urged the rug as they dodged falling rocks and debris. Abu, becoming more and more frightened, jumped to Aladdin's head, covering his eyes. "Abu, this is no time to panic!" He yelled over the rumble of the crumbling cave.  He pulled the frantic monkey off his head and saw that they were flying straight for a solid wall. "Start panicking."

At the last possible second, the carpet went into a dive through another cave. Finally, they emerged through the golden internal entrance. Outside the cave's mouth began to collapse.

Aladdin, Abu, and the carpet were almost to the top when a huge boulder dropped on the carpet, sending it plummeting to the floor. Aladdin clung onto the craggy rock wall for dear life. He looked up and saw the old man within reach.

"Help me out!" Aladdin called to him.

"Throw me the lamp!" He yelled back.

"I can't hold on! Give me your hand!" Aladdin begged desperately, as his hands started to slip. "Please!"

"First give me the lamp!" The old man insisted.

Not wanting to argue anymore Aladdin reached into his pocket and handed the insane old man the lamp. The man snatched it from his hands and raised it above his head laughing. "Ha ha ha! Yes! At last! Ha ha ha!" Aladdin climbed upward with the help of Abu, but the old man kicked the monkey away and grabbed the boy's wrist.

"What are you doing?" Aladdin yelled.

"Giving you your reward." He cackled, pulling out a crooked knife. "Your _eternal_ reward." He said in a different and deeper voice. He pulled back the knife to stab Aladdin, but was stopped when Abu bit him. He screamed and dropped Aladdin, who fell back into the cave. In his blind fury, the man tossed Abu into the cave as well.

The carpet saw all of this and tried to get to them, but was still pinned under the boulder. It struggled, and finally broke free. It raced over and caught Aladdin, but he had hit the wall falling a couple of times and was rendered unconscious. 

On the surface the cave gave a final roar and sunk back into the sand, as Jafar pulled off his disguise. "Heh heh heh! It's mine, it's all mine!" He reached into his pocket to pull out the magic lamp but—

"Where is it? Where is it?!" He yelled searching frantically for it, but it was nowhere to be found. "No! NO!!" He screamed to the inky black sky.

Jasmine sat on her bed, still upset, absent-mindedly petting Rajah. The Sultan walked into the room. "Jasmine, oh dearest, what is wrong?" He asked sitting on the bed next to her and putting a supportive hand on her shoulder.

"Jafar…has…done…something…terrible." She sobbed, looking and sounding as if she had been crying for quite a while.

"There, there, my child--we'll set it right. Now, tell me everything."

Scheherazade smiled at Riar. He had both eyes closed, and was so busy imagining Agrabah, that he hadn't even realized that his wife had paused her tale.

Finally, he opened his eyes, and looked at her expectantly. "Now that can't be all. What happens now?"

"All right, all right." Scheherazade replied with a smile. She cleared her throat and continued: "_Above the Cave of Wonders, Jafar mourned his loss of the lamp…"_


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6 

"So close! I was so close!" Jafar cursed under his breath, as he chucked his mask out over the sand dunes.

"There's always next time, Jafar…" Iago squawked with a shrug, grabbing the spooked horse's reins in his talons and leading it towards his master. Jafar stared at the place where the Cave had been, fuming.

Iago looked tentatively at Jafar, and flew over the two scarabs lying in the sand. He scooped them up and Jafar held out his hand to catch them. The last time Jafar had been _this _mad, _this_ disappointed things had gone terribly wrong—for Iago.

He could still remember that night, though it was long ago now. Iago hadn't always been a parrot. Oh no, he was a well-respected citizen of Agrabah—okay, so he had been a crook. But he had had a few close friends, and enough riches to keep him satisfied for quite awhile. But he had something that Jafar wanted.

Jafar came to him on a clear night, when the stars in the sky had shone brightly in the sky, and the wind had been still. He came riding up to Iago's home, riding a horse as black as Jafar's own soul. Iago had been counting his day's intake, when he'd heard a loud knock on his door. He snatched his knife off the table, and opened the door a crack. Jafar grinned his twisted smile, and pushed the door inward. Iago took a step back.

"Who are you?" He'd asked. "What do you want?"

"A little trinket that surely means nothing to you." Jafar had sneered.

"My trinkets mean much to me, my friend." Iago laughed with a squawk.

"You have no right to call me a friend, yet." Jafar said with a small frown. "I'm looking for half of a golden scarab beetle. I hear tell it has… _fallen_ into your hands?"

"If by fallen, you mean I stole it, yes." Iago chuckled, turning his back to Jafar, his eyes combing his loot for the scarab half. "Why would you want it? It seems worthless to me. I'm not even sure it's real gold."

"Oh, it is." Jafar leered. Iago found it, and held it up to the light.

"Like I said, why do you want it?"

"You don't know?" Jafar asked with interest. "Well, of course you don't—you seem like the simpleton type."

"Hey! I resent that!"

"I'm sure you do." Jafar sighed. "Give me the scarab, please."

"How much, exactly, are you willing to pay? In gold?" Iago asked, tossing it in the air, and catching it again.

"I'm expecting it to be free, _friend."_

"You've already mentioned we're not friends." Iago laughed again. "How much?"

"Nothing." Jafar whipped back his cloak, and pulled out a staff with a snake's head on top, with eyes of rubies. He held the staff up to Iago's face, and things went momentarily blurry, but he shook his head, and all became clear again.

"That's not funny." Iago said seriously. "I'm not just going to give this to you. It must be of value, or you wouldn't track it down like this."

"You're not as simple minded as I presumed, I think." Jafar said, pulling down his staff.

"That's right."

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you why I wanted it." Jafar said with a small laugh. "I must find the two halves of this scarab to make a key to open the legendary Cave of Wonders."

"The Cave of Wonders? A thief's dream stash…"

"I know it. But I'm not looking for treasure. Just one lamp."

"Like I said, I won't give you this key-half for free."

"You will."

"Will not." Iago said with a frown. "And you can't make me."

"Can't I?" He sounded amused.

"No." Iago said sternly. He held the cool scarab tightly in his sweaty palm, and glared at Jafar. It happened in an instant—Jafar pulled his staff out again, and zapped Iago with it, muttering something through his yellowing teeth. Iago felt as though he were on fire: his arms sizzled and popped and his mouth stretched, and his spit frothed out over his lips. His fingers were snapping and growing—his legs and feet stabbed with white-hot knives. But finally, when the pain had subsided, he was on the floor, looking up a Jafar, who was laughing madly.

"You turned me into a _bird!"_

"A parrot, actually. You're so talkative, I saw it fit." Jafar said, wiping tears out of his eyes. "Now, about that scarab."

"I _definitely _won't give it to you know."

"Don't test me." Jafar growled, pointing his staff at Iago again. "I'll kill you if you'd like. I could get that scarab quite easily if I were picking out of your dead…feathers."

"You… you…"

"Yes, yes, I've heard them all." Jafar laughed, as Iago handed the scarab to him.

"Now change me back."

"Don't think I will, but thank you anyway."

"Then I'm going with you." Iago said, struggling to use his new wings. "You're not taking my half of the scarab and not giving me my half of the treasure."

"Fine. You can have your treasure." Jafar said with a shrug. "I only want the lamp."

"Whatever." Iago snapped, flapping out the door behind his new master. But as the years had past, Iago and Jafar had grown rather close, as disappointment can do to people. Their shared vision of the vast, treasures (well, just Iago's) had kept them together, and their alliance intact.

"Like I said, Jafar." Iago told him comfortingly, handing him the golden scarab halves. "One more try. You'll get your lamp, and I my treasure."    

Fuzzy and blurred shapes moved around Aladdin. He felt Abu's fingers clutching his arm fearfully as he chirruped, "Aladdin? Wake up, Aladdin!"

Slowly, Aladdin sat up, rubbing his head dizzily. "Oh, my head…" He groaned. He looked upward to the ceiling, and saw that the cave had closed. "Great. We're trapped." He muttered. "That two-faced son of a jackal!" Aladdin roared at the sandy roof. He took a deep breath; anger wouldn't help now. He let out a big sigh. "Well, whoever he was, he's long gone now with that lamp…"

Abu bounced up and down on the cave floor, with a large grin. He reached into his vest, and removed the golden lamp. "Aha!" He proclaimed proudly, as he handed the treasure to his friend.

"Why, you hairy little thief!" Aladdin laughed approvingly, patting the monkey on the head. He held the lamp up to his face. "It looks like such a worthless piece of junk… but hey, I think there's something written here! But it's hard to make out…" Aladdin jumped up from his seat on the carpet, and started to vigorously rub the lamp.

There was a soft, but very distinct rumbling. At first, Aladdin feared that the cave was going to fall onto them. Abu and the carpet looked around in confusion, as a small billow of blue smoke began to filter out of the lamp's tip. Aladdin squinted at it, and watched it rise upward, shimmering in the small amount of light. Suddenly, the lamp began to grumble and squirm, and Aladdin had to fight to keep hold of it. The lamp glowed a bright gold as a huge, glimmering, blue man with a black goatee, one earring, and golden manacles around his wrists emerged from the lamp. But the thing that amazed Aladdin more than anything else, was that this gigantic blue thing didn't have legs, but a trail of blue smoke…

"Ahhhhhh! OY!" The giant blue man shouted. "Ten thousand years'll give you such a crick in the neck! Hang on a sec." He said, picking up a very surprised Aladdin, and hanging him by the vest on a rock attached to the cave wall. The man plucked off his own head, and spun it around, yelling in delight as he did so. The carpet flew up, and helped Aladdin off the rock, and safely back onto the floor.

"Man, does it feel good to be outta there!" He grabbed the smoke near his 'feet' and it became a microphone that he held to his mouth. "Nice to be back, ladies and gents! So, what's your name? Where you from?" It asked, shoving the microphone in Aladdin's face. 

"Uh, Aladdin." Aladdin said with confused uncertainty.

"Aladdin! Nice to have to on the show!" The man proclaimed, as Aladdin's name popped up in lights. "Can I call you Al? Or maybe just Din? Or how about Laddie? Sounds like, 'here boy! Come 'ere, Laddie!" The thing laughed, changing into a large blue dog that sported a kilt.

"I must have hit my head harder than I thought…" Aladdin murmured under his breath, as he stared at the Scottish blue dog.

"You smoke? Mind if I do?" The dog asked, as it exploded with a puff of purple smoke and became the large blue man again. Abu screamed in fear. "Oh, sorry, Cheetah! Hope I didn't singe the fur." He told Abu, before he spotted the carpet. "Hey, Rugman! Haven't seen you in a few millennia! Give me some tassel!" The blue thing exclaimed, as the carpet did a flip and gave it a high-five. The thing looked at Aladdin once more. "You know, you're a lot smaller than my last master-- either that, or I'm getting bigger." He frowned, as he grabbed his beer-gut, and asked, "Do I look bigger to you?"

"Whoa, there." Aladdin said. "I'm your _master?"_

"That's right! He can be taught!" The thing shouted, jamming a graduation cap on Aladdin's head and a diploma in his hands. "What would you wish of me? The ever impressive," He said deeply, becoming very muscular. "…the self-contained…" He popped into a see-through box. "But never duplicated, duplicated, duplicated, duplicated…" He said, cloning himself to surround Aladdin. "GENIE OF THE LAMP! Right here, direct from the lamp, for your enjoyment wish fulfillment… thank yoooou!" Genie said, bowing to the carpet, Abu, Aladdin and the replicated Genies.

"W-wish fulfillment?" Aladdin repeated, stunned.

"Three wishes, to be exact. And ix-nay on wishing for more wishes." He popped into a slot machine that spun to reveal the numbers 1, 2, and 3. "That's it: three. Uno, dos, tres… no substitutions, exchanges or refunds" He said as Groucho Marx, as a duck dropped revealing the secret word, 'refunds'.

"Now I _know_ I'm dreaming." Aladdin said, rubbing his head once more.

"Master, I don't think you quite realize what you've got here! I'm one of a kind! You'll never have a friend like me!" Genie said proudly.

"A friend like you?" Aladdin repeated.

"Right-o!" The Genie grinned. And, with a wave of his hands, he produced ten harem girls, twenty dancing camels, four elephants dressed in crimson, and gold that showered down from the closed cave ceiling. Abu smiled devilishly, and tried to scoop some into his hat. But, with another wave, everything vanished. "So, master, what'll it be?"

A believing Aladdin answered, "So, you'll give me any three wishes I want?"

"Well," Genie said, seating Aladdin on a rock. "There are a few provisos… a couple of quid pro quos…"

"Like?"

"I can't kill anybody." Genie told him, as he chopped off his own head with his finger. "So don't ask. Rule #2: I can't make anybody fall in love." His head became a huge pair of lips, and he kissed Aladdin's cheek. "Little punim there! Rule #3:" Genie replied lying flat, and slowly rising green, and slimy like a zombie. "I can't bring people back from the dead… it's not a pretty picture! I don't like doin' it! But other than that, you got it." He said, bursting back to normal, and bowing low.

Aladdin glanced at Abu mischievously. Abu nodded in understanding. "Provisos? You mean limitations? On wishes? Some all-powerful genie! He can't even bring people back from the dead." He turned to Abu, and winked. "I guess we'll have to find our own way out of this cave…"

Genie grew tall, and stomped his foot in Aladdin's way. "Hold up-- did you rub my lamp? Did you wake me up? Did you bring me here? And now you're walkin' out on me? Uh, uh. I don't think so; not right now; YOU'RE GETTING YOUR WISHES, so SIT DOWN!" Aladdin obediently sat on the carpet without a word, and the genie continued as an airplane stewardess, "Okay, the exits are here, here, here, here, here, here, here- anywhere! Keep your hands and arms inside the carpet; we're outta here!!" He steered the carpet up to the ceiling, and Aladdin was sure they were going to crash into the jagged stones. But the carpet flew right through, as though it was only fog.

The carpet flew higher and higher into the sky. Aladdin looked back down, but he could see nothing but miles and miles of sand. The sun was just starting to peek over the sand dunes, and was drenching the vast, open desert in all its golden glory.

Up ahead, Aladdin could see a small oasis that was surrounded by palm trees. He looked at Abu excitedly and they both grinned at each other.

The Sultan looked angrily at Jafar and the Princess. Iago sat on Jafar's shoulder in silence-- no doubt hoping the Sultan would forget to feed him a cracker.

"This is an outrage, Jafar." The Sultan said grimly. Jafar gulped. "If it weren't for all your years of loyal service… From now on, you are to discuss the sentencing of Agrabah's prisoners with me _before_ they are beheaded."

"I assure you, your highness," Jafar said, with an apologetic smile. "It won't happen again."

The Sultan sighed. "All right then. Now, Jasmine, Jafar-- let's put this whole mess behind us."

Jafar turned to the Princess Jasmine and took her hand. "My most abject and humble apologies, Princess." He kissed her beautiful hand, before she yanked it away furiously.

"At least one good thing will come of my being forced to marry." Jasmine said to him, her almond eyes squinted in dislike. "When I am Queen, I'll have the power to get rid of you—forever." With that, Jasmine stormed out of the throne room, her long black hair trailing behind her.

"Jasmine! Come back, dearest!" The Sultan yelled after her. "Excuse me, Jafar." The Sultan murmured to the vizier, before he hurried behind his daughter.

"_I'll have the power…_blah, blah, blah!" Iago snorted. "To think- we've gotta keep kissing up to that chump, and his chump daughter for the rest of our pathetic lives…"

"No, no, Iago." Jafar corrected. "Only until Jasmine finds a 'chump' husband. Then she'll have us either banished-- or worse! Beheaded…." Jafar and his bird took a moment to consider how it would feel to have their heads chopped off, before Iago spoke again.

"Wait! What if _you_ were the chump husband?!"

"_What?_" Jafar growled, insulted.

"No-- see, _you_ marry the Princess then you—you could become _sultan!"_ Iago explained desperately.

"Hmm…" Jafar mused. "Marry the shrew? Become sultan… The idea has merit…"

"Merit! Yes!"

The Princess was stunning, and would make a lovely wife. But then, she would be torture to live with… "Then, we could kill the Sultan… and the Princess…" Jafar said, with a wicked smile.

"Right! We'll drop them both off of cliffs!"

"Iago, I _love_ the way your fowl little mind works!" Jafar said. And they both broke into a fiendish chorus of laughter.

"Evil, fiendish laughter?" Riar said with a laugh. "Very nice touch, dear."

"Well, Jafar is a fiendish man, wouldn't you agree?" Scheherazade asked him with a smile. He seemed to be thoroughly enjoying her story.

"Yes, I suppose so, if he's going to wed, then kill the Princess…" Riar said, as he drifted into silence. Scheherazade watched his face. Riar had been marrying his wives every afternoon and killing them the next day for ages… that is, until Scheherazade came along, and kept his interest… for, what was it? 1,000 nights, now?

"Well? Are you going to continue?" Riar asked her.

"Without a doubt. _Out in the middle of the desert, Aladdin and his friends flew into a beautiful, flourishing, oasis…"_


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Carpet came in for a landing in flowering oasis out in the middle of the desert. When they stopped, the genie, who had transformed himself into a stewardess, explained exit of the carpet.

"Thank you for choosing Magic Carpet for all your traveling needs. Don't stand until the rug has come to a complete stop." The carpet formed stairs with one end for Aladdin and Abu to walk down.  "Thank you, good bye, good bye, thank you, good bye!" He said shaking their hands and letting them down the steps. "Ha!" He yelled, back to normal. "Well now, how about that, Mr. Doubting Mustafa?" 

"Oh, you sure showed me," Aladdin told him sarcastically, obviously a ploy of some sort. "Now, what about my three whishes-"

"Dost my ears deceive me?" Genie asked sweetly, holding a hand to his ear. "You are down by ONE boy!" He shouted.

"Ah, no," Aladdin countered. "I never actually _wished_ to get out of the cave. You did that on your own."

The genie was about to pull out a finger to wag at his new master, opened his mouth but no words came out, and his jaw dropped. Genie then turned into a sheep. "Well don't I feel just sheepish?" He asked, realizing that he had been tricked. "All right you baaaaad boy," He bleated. "But no more freebies."

"Fair deal," Aladdin agreed with him "So, three wishes. I want them to be good." He turned to Genie who was in a hammock tied between two palm trees.  "What would you wish for?"

"Me?" He asked sitting up. "Well, in my case…ah, forget it." He told him waving his thought aside.

"What? No, tell me."

"Freedom." Genie said with a sigh.

"You're a prisoner?" Aladdin asked bewildered.

"It's part-and-parcel" He tried to explain "The whole genie gig: Phenomenal cosmic powers!" He became gigantic and his voice echoed as he spoke. Then he shrunk down into the lamp and Aladdin took the top off to see him. "Itty bitty living space." He told him a tiny, squeaky voice.

"Genie, that's terrible." Aladdin told him sincerely.

"But oh--to be free." He said wistfully while coming out of the lamp.  "Not have to go 'Poof! What do you need?' The Genie appeared at Aladdin's side "Poof! What do you want, Master?" He disappeared and repapered at Aladdin's other side. "Poof! How can I serve your every whim and will?" He asked grabbing Aladdin by the vest and shaking him. "To be my own master," he said with a pensive look in his eye, "such a thing would be greater than all magic and all the treasures in all world! But what am I talking about here?" He said sadly sitting on a large rock. "Let's get real, it's not gunna happen. Come on Genie, wake up and smell the hummus."

"Why not?" Asked Aladdin.

"The only way I get outta this is if my master wishes me out. So you can guess how often that's happened."

"I'll do it; I'll set you free." Aladdin told him confidently.

"Uh huh, right." Said Genie, his head turning into Pinocchio's and his nose grew out a foot or so.

"No, really, I will." Aladdin promised, pushing his nose in and the Genie's head turned back. "After I make my first two wishes, I'll use my third wish to set you free." Aladdin held out his hand.

"Well here's hoping." He said, shaking his master's hand. "Okay then, let's make some magic!" He yelled, turning into a magician with a top hat and a long black cape. "So how about it, what do you want the most?"

          "Well…there's this girl…"

          "Ehhhhhh! Wrong!" Genie buzzed and a glowing heart with a cross thought it materialized on his chest. "I can't make anyone fall in love."

          "Oh, but Genie! She's smart and fun and…"

          "Pretty?" The Genie offered.

          "Beautiful!" Aladdin corrected excitedly. "She's got these eyes that just…and this hair, wow…and her smile..."

          "Ami. C'est l'amour." Genie cooed. Aladdin looked over his shoulder to find Genie, Abu, and carpet sitting in a Parisian restaurant.

          "But she's the princess," He said looking crestfallen. "To even have a chance I'd have to be a-- hey, can you make me a prince?"

          "Let's see here," said the genie whipping out a red book entitled Royal Cookbook.  He then began flipping through the pages. "Uh, chicken al la king?" Genie pulled a disgruntled chicken with a crown atop its head out of the book; he took a look at it then shook his head and threw it aside. "What else we got here, Alaskan king crab? Ow!" Genie pulled his hand back from the book with a crab clamped onto his finger. "Hate it when they do that. Caesar's salad?" A hand equipped with a dagger came from the book and tried to stab him. "Et tu brute?" He scolded then continued to scan the pages. "Ah, here we go, how to make a prince." Genie slyly looked at Aladdin over the top of the book. "Now it that an official wish? Just say the words!"  
          "Genie, I wish for you to make me a prince!" Aladdin exclaimed.

     "All right then!" He squared his shoulders and then promptly turned into a tailor. "First, that fez and vest combo is too third centaury," Genie said circling Aladdin and looking him over. "These patches--what are we trying to say--beggar? I think not!" He pulled Aladdin's patches off as if they were mere stickers. "Okay now, work with me here." He took his young master's measurements then snapped his fingers and Aladdin was outfitted as a handsomely dressed prince.

"I like it, muy macho! Hmm, but it still needs something, what does it say to me?" Genie scratched his chin, trying to figure out what was needed to compete the look. "It says mode of transportation. Excuse me, monkey boy, a-q-u-i!"  Abu attempted to hide under carpet, as Genie clapped his hands and carpet flew the protesting monkey over.

Aladdin and Genie appeared on a game show set and Aladdin stood behind a podium. "What better way to make your grade entrance to the streets of Agrabah then on your very own _camel!"_ A door bearing Genie's head on it opened to reveal Abu who then turned into a camel with a huge pouf. "Watch out they spit." Genie warned, as Abu spit out the side of his mouth as if on cue. 

Yet the Genie gone game show host was not sure. "Mmm, not enough." He snapped his fingers and Abu became a fancy white horse. _"Still_ not enough.  Let's see.  What do you need?"

The Genie began snapping his fingers repeatedly, turning Abu into a duck, an ostrich, a turtle, and a '57 Cadillac, with the license plate "ABU 1." Finally, the genie sighed and returned Abu back to a monkey. He paused for a moment in thought, while Aladdin and the carpet watched him anxiously.

"I've got it! Yes!! Esalalumbo, shimin dumbo! Whoa!!" Abu turned into an elephant with an interestingly long tail.  Carpet struggled to get out from under Abu's size 46 feet.

"Talk about your trunk space, check this action out!" Genie said excitedly showing Aladdin his new pet.****

Abu glanced at his reflection in a pool of water, and then jumped, scared, into a tree. The tree bent right back down to the ground, where Abu hung on and looked at Aladdin upside down.

"Abu, you look good." Aladdin said trying to comfort his "monkey".

"He's got the outfit, he's got the elephant, but we're not through yet! Hang on to your turban, kid, cause we're gonna make you a star!" The magic genie yelled as they turned to leave the oasis.

The animal tower was high, giraffes and zebras, monkeys and bears all stacked upon one another. Sultan assembled a wooden tiger carefully on top so his tower wouldn't topple over. This was the highest he had ever gotten it, the structure now stood above and the buildings in his wooden model of Agrabah.

He cautiously balanced the last piece on top. It wobbled dangerously and the Sultan held his breath, mentally commanding the tower to stay. The top piece sat still and he then sat back and sighed with relief. Jafar took that moment to storm in, and he slammed the door in his flight and the pile of figures collapsed onto the floor.

"Sire, I have found a solution to the problem with your daughter." Jafar announced.

"Awk! The problem with your daughter!" Iago parroted.

"Oh, really?" Sultan asked forgetting about his fallen tower.

Jafar unrolled a scroll and brandished it before the ruler. "Right here. If the princess has not chosen a husband by the appointed time, then the sultan shall choose for her."

"But Jasmine hated all those suitors!" The Sultan explained trying to stuff a cracker into Iago's mouth. Iago backed away fearfully. The Sultan absentmindedly pulled the cracker back.

"How could I choose someone she hates?" The Sultan asked. Iago looked relieved when he saw the dreaded cracker pocketed, but the Sultan quickly changed his mind and stuffed the cracker in the bird's mouth.

"Not to worry, my liege." Jafar said in his sickly sweet voice. He looked down, and read the scroll. "There is more. If, in the event a suitable prince cannot be found, a princess must then be wed to... hmm... interesting."

"What? Who?" Sultan asked anxiously.

"The Royal Vizier!  Why, that would be... me!" He said smiling in an evil fashion.

"Why, I thought the law says that only a _prince_ can marry a princess, I'm quite sure…" Sultan countered, a bit confused.

"Desperate times call for desperate measures, my lord." He told him, pulling out his cobra headed staff and hypnotized the Sultan with it.

"Yes... desperate measures…" The manipulated ruler said in a dazed voice.

"You will order the princess to marry me." The advisor said in an excited whisper. Not too much longer and he would control this kingdom.

"I... will order... the princess... to…" Sultan continued. The spell broke momentarily: "...but you're so _old_."

Frustrated, Jafar held the staff closer to the Sultan's face. "The princess _will_ marry me!"

"The princess will marry…" But the spell broke again, this time by a loud, and captivating trumpet blast.

"What? What is that? That music!" The Sultan ran to the balcony. "Ha ha ha! Jafar, you must come and see this."

Outside, Jafar could see an advancing parade. It was led by what appeared to be the Genie in human form as a drum major.

"Make way for Prince Ali!" The marchers called over the blare of the trumpets.

"Say hey!  It's Prince Ali!" Cried the swordsmen who came next. Now it was the Genie's turn to sing his praise.

    "Hey, clear the way in the old bazaar,

    Hey you, let us through, it's a bright new star,

    Now come, be the first on your block to meet his eye!

    Make way, here he comes,

    Ring bells, bang the drums.

    Ah, You're gonna love this guy!" The Major then ran into the crowd and began to mingle with the various on-lookers.

    "Prince Ali, fabulous he, Ali Ababwa!

    Genuflect, show some respect,

    Down on one knee." Abu the elephant marched toward the palace, with Aladdin dressed as Prince Ali on his back.

    "Now try your best to stay calm

    Brush up your Sunday Salaam

    And come and meet his spectacular coterie."

Iago danced to the music until Jafar glared daggers at him. The Major "wheel barrowed" six men up onto Abu's trunk.  They stood on each other's shoulders as Aladdin shook their hands with a royal grin.

    "Prince Ali, mighty is he, Ali Ababwa!

    Strong as ten regular men, definitely.

    He faced the galloping hordes," Genie turned into an old man and waved his walking stick.

    "A hundred bad guys with swords," The Genie popped into a little boy who brandished his wooden sword to the other youngsters as he told them of Ali.

    "Who sent those goons to their lords? Why, Prince Ali!" The pile of men collapsed on Aladdin, but Genie zapped the mound and Aladdin was magically holding them all up in an acrobatic wheel formation.

"He's got seventy-five golden camels!" Sang a chorus of men holding the golden camels above their heads.

"Don't they look lovely, June?" A male parade commenter, Harry, wearing a puffy blue jacket and holding a microphone replied.

"Purple peacocks, he's got fifty-three!" A chorus of women, this time, sung as they passed buy on a float bearing the peacocks they sang about. And in popped the other commentator, June.

"Fabulous, Harry, I love the feathers!" She proclaimed.

    "When it comes to exotic type mammals

    Has he got a zoo, I'm telling you

    It's a world class menagerie!" The Genie continued his song. The Genie popped in as a leopard, then a goat, and sang the last two lines of his song to two children from earlier. Upon a balcony the Harem Genie joined three Harem Girls.

    "Prince Ali, Handsome is he, Ali Ababwa

        There's no question this Ali's alluring

    That physique, how can I speak

        Never ordinary, never boring

    Weak at the knee

        Everything about the man just plain impresses

    Well, get on out in that square

        He's a wonder, he's a whiz, a wonder

    Adjust your veil and prepare

        He's about to pull my heart asunder

    To gawk and grovel and stare at Prince Ali!

        And I absolutely love the way he dresses!" Sang the Genie and the girls.

Jasmine had been watching the parade since it entered the city, and she quickly came to the conclusion that this Prince Ali Ababwa was as bad as all the others-- if not worse. She turned on her heal and re-entered the palace.

    "He's got ninety-five white Persian monkeys!

            He's got the monkeys, let's see the monkeys!

    And to view them, he charges no fee!

            He's generous, so generous

    He's got slaves, he's got servants and flunkies!

            Proud to work for him

    They bow to his whim, love serving him

    They're just lousy with loyalty to Ali! 

    Prince Ali!"

Aladdin threw gold coins out to the people, who rushed over to collect them. Abu and the parade marched up the steps of the palace and inside. The Sultan ran back inside to the door to the throne room, but Jafar stood in front of the door. Suddenly, it burst open, with Abu leading the way, and crushing Jafar and Iago behind the door.

    "Prince Ali! Amorous he, Ali Ababwa!

    Heard your princess was a sight lovely to see!

    And that, good people, is why

    He got dolled up and dropped by

    With sixty elephants, llamas galore

    With his bears and lions

    A brass band and more

    With his forty fakirs, his cooks, his bakers

    His birds that warble on key

    Make way for Prince Ali!"

More and more fanfare built up until Aladdin's magic carpet fluttered impressively off Abu's back and touched down to the ground before the Sultan. Jafar was then able to finally slam the door shut.

"Splendid; absolutely marvelous." The Sultan said, clapping.

Taking on a deeper voice, Aladdin spoke to the Ruler of Agrabah. "Ahem.  Your majesty, I have journeyed from afar to seek your daughter's hand."

"Prince Ali Ababwa!  Of course. I'm delighted to meet you." He said rushing over to shake Ali's hand. "This is my Royal Vizier, Jafar.  He's delighted too."

"Ecstatic." He answered in a voice dry as the Arabian Desert. "I'm afraid, Prince Abooboo--"

"--Ababwa!" Aladdin corrected.

"Whatever.  You cannot just parade in here, uninvited and expect to--"

"...By Allah, this is quite a remarkable device." The Sultan was ogling, poking and prodding the magic carpet. He tugged at one of its tassels, and in response Carpet tugged his moustache. "I don't suppose I might…"

"Why certainly, your majesty.  Allow me." Aladdin helped the Sultan up onto the Carpet, and he plopped down. But before he could take off, Jafar pinned the Carpet down on the floor with his staff.

"Sire, I must advise against this--" He started.

"--Oh, button up, Jafar." Sultan told him. "Learn to have a little fun."

He kicked away the staff and Carpet flew off. Iago, who had been standing on the head of the staff, fell down, repeatedly bopping the staff with his beak as he descended. The Sultan and

Carpet flew high, up toward the ceiling, then began a dive-bomb attack, flying under, and through Abu's legs and scaring him.  The exciting flight continued, while a slightly jealous Jafar turned to the Prince.

"Just where did you say you were from?" He inquired.

"Oh, much farther than you've ever traveled, I'm sure." The "prince" said smiling-- one which Jafar did not return.

"Try me." He advised him, while Iago landed on the staff.

"Look out, Polly!" The Sultan yelled as Carpet came in for another dive. They all ducked just in time, as the Carpet whizzed centimeters over their heads. Iago flew off the staff in terror, as the Sultan pursued him, chuckling merrily.

"Hey, watch it! Watch it with the dumb rug!" Iago yelled over his shoulder, distraughtly.

The Carpet flew underneath Iago, who sighed and wiped his brow. But he ended up crashing into a pillar anyway, and then slid to the floor.

"Out of the way, I'm coming in to land." Sultan yelled steering the carpet forward. "Jafar, watch this!" He landed gracefully, with a gleeful grin.

"Spectacular, your highness." Jafar praised him, not really meaning it.

"Ooh, lovely.  Yes, I do seem to have a knack for it." He said proudly. Carpet meandered over to Abu dizzily, and then collapsed. Abu caught him with his trunk.

"This is a _very _impressive youth. And a _prince_ besides." Sultan whispered to Jafar. "If we're lucky, you won't have to marry Jasmine after all."

"I don't trust him, sire." Said the advisor, worriedly.

"Nonsense." Sultan said waving his statement off. "One thing I pride myself on, Jafar, I'm an excellent judge of character."

"Oh, excellent judge, yeah, sure...not!!!" Iago squawked angrily to himself.

Jasmine quietly walked into the room, just beyond the doorframe, but was frozen still when she heard her name.

"Jasmine will like this one!" Her father exclaimed.

"And I'm pretty sure I'll like Princess Jasmine!" Aladdin assured.

"Your highness, no." Jafar arbitrated. "I must intercede on Jasmine's behalf." Jasmine listened carefully, her anger rising. "This boy is no different than the others. What makes him think he is worthy of the princess?"

"Your majesty, I am Prince Ali Ababwa!" Aladdin laughed in his deep voice, as he pricked Jafar's goatee, which sprang out in all directions. "Just let her meet me. I will win your daughter!"

"How _dare_ you!" Jasmine growled, speaking for the first time. They all looked around at her, surprised. "All of you, standing around deciding _my_ future? I am _not_ a prize to be won!" With that, the angry princess turned on her heel and stormed out of the room, as the three confused men looked after her.

"Not to worry, Prince Ali." The Sultan said confidently. "Just give Jasmine some time to cool down. She'll come around…" He took Aladdin by the arm, and led him out of the room, all the while assuring him that everything would be fine. Aladdin started to wonder if the Sultan was just as upset about the awkward first meeting with Jasmine as he was.

Jafar watched as the Sultan pulled Ali Ababwa along the corridor, babbling away brainlessly. Iago flew up to his shoulder, but he hardly took notice.

"That kid looks awfully familiar…" The bird muttered.

"We're too close, Iago." Jafar said, speaking more to himself than the parrot. "I think it's time we say goodbye to Prince Abooboo."

"I thought it was Ababwa…"

"Well? What happens now?" King Riar asked his wife anxiously. "Does the Princess Jasmine fall in love with him? Or is she forced to marry the Vizier? And what of that poor monkey that was turned into an elephant? I feel terrible for that little guy… must be terrible…"

"Calm down, my liege." Scheherazade laughed. "All will be answered." She looked at him with her brown eyes, as he reached for the goblet of water that sat on the table. She expected him to drink from it, but instead, he passed it gently to his spouse.

"Thank you…" She replied, slightly confused. She drank from the glass, and then continued: "_That night, when the moon was high above, and the stars glittered like little diamonds up in the clear inky, black, sky…"_


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8 

Aladdin stood in the garden gazing up at Jasmine's balcony. She probably wouldn't even let him talk to her after that afternoon. If only he hadn't sounded so pompous before… or if he had just not even gone into that throne room at all…

How could he have thought, even for one second, that he could pull off this crazy Prince wish? He couldn't do this… it was too much. Aladdin was only a beggar from Agrabah… not some wealthy, handsome, _prince._ If only he could have thought about this before he had wasted a wish.

The Genie quietly floated over to Aladdin's side, and put a supportive hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry things aren't going the way you planned, Al." He said sincerely.

"Genie… I need help." Aladdin sighed.

With a sly grin, he became Jack Nicholson, and said, "All right, Sparky, here's the deal: if you wanna court the lady, you gotta be a straight shooter, do ya got it?"

Aladdin looked at him, confused. "Excuse me?"

The Genie looked at him, frustrated, and popped back to normal. He flipped over a black board out of thin air, and pointed at the words, "Tell her the TRUTH!"

"What?" Aladdin shouted, scandalized. "If I told Princess Jasmine I was just some… crummy _street rat_ she'd probably laugh at me!"

"A woman appreciates a man who can make her laugh!" The Genie said, popping into a light bulb, which Aladdin promptly turned off. "Al, all joking aside, you really should be yourself."

"Please! That's the last thing I want to be!" Aladdin said angrily. He took a deep breath, and looked up at the balcony again, as if resolving the wild idea that had just appeared in his head. "I'm going to go see her."

"What? Now?"

"Yeah. I've gotta be cool… confident." Aladdin said, as he flung his cape around his neck, so as to look more heroic. "How do I look?"

"You look… like a Prince." The Genie said disappointedly.

Aladdin motioned for the carpet, and he hopped on. With the cool night air whipping his face, he flew up to Jasmine's balcony with a nervous grin on his face.

Jasmine lay on her bed, staring up at the ceiling and absentmindedly stroking Raja. When would her father give up on finding her a suitor? They were all alike… pretentious and arrogant... rude and…

"Er, Princess Jasmine?" Someone said from out on the balcony. She sat up, and tried to see through the sheer curtains.

"Who's there?" She called.

"It-- It is I, Prince Ali… Ababwa." The man called from outside, in a deep, stuffy voice. She groaned to Raja and rolled her eyes.

"I do not want to see you." She said, not moving from her bed.

"Please, Princess. Just give me a chance…" Prince Ali said desperately. Again, Jasmine didn't get up, but she gave Raja a small nudge, and he slowly started to move toward the balcony.

"Just leave me alone." Jasmine replied, her temper rising. Raja was now growling as he approached Prince Ali. Jasmine quietly got up from her bed, and pulled back her gauzy curtains to watch. If this would be anything like the pants-ing of Prince Achmed, it would be very entertaining.

"Down, kitty… good, kitty… take off…" Aladdin moaned as the huge tiger began to pace in front of him. In a glance, he noticed Princess Jasmine at the doorway, and he tried to look both romantic and brave as he scooted fearfully nearer to the edge of the balcony. Quickly, Aladdin ripped off his turban in a pathetic attempt to shoo the tiger away.

"Wait a second…" Princess Jasmine said, tearing back the curtain and walking to Raja to calm him. "Do I… know you?"

"Wha- oh! No." Aladdin recovered, as he replaced his turban.

"That's strange. You remind me of someone I met in the marketplace." She explained. Was it Aladdin's imagination, or was there an intrigued gleam in the Princess's eye? Did she perhaps look upon their meeting in the marketplace fondly?

"The marketplace?" A bee buzzed confusedly in Aladdin's ear. Immediately, Aladdin knew that the bee was the Genie.

"I have servants who go to the marketplace for me." Aladdin said quickly. "Heck-- I even have servants who go to the marketplace for… for my servants. It couldn't have been me you met."

"No, I… I guess not." Jasmine said, sounding slightly downcast.

"Enough about you, Casanova!" The bee/Genie hummed in his ear. "Talk about her! She's smart… fun, the hair, the eyes… anything! Pick a feature!"

Aladdin nodded to himself. "Um, Princess? You're very…"

"Wonderful, magnificent, glorious, punctual…"

"…Punctual." Aladdin said, instantly wishing he could take it back.

"Punctual?" Jasmine laughed. "Now _there's _one I haven't heard before…"

"I, uh, meant beautiful." He corrected sheepishly.

"Nice recovery!" The bee said happily, as the Princess looked at Aladdin for a moment. She bit her lip, and pushed back her hair.

"And rich too, you know." The Princess said softly, taking a seductive step forward. Aladdin was taken off guard at the very sudden change of heart.

"Yeah…" He squeaked, taking a nervous step backwards.

"The daughter of a Sultan…" She was getting closer now, and Aladdin was up against the balcony's railing, with no more room to back up.

"Yeah…"

"A _fine_ prize for any prince to marry." She said, with a smile.

"Er, right. Right! A Prince like me." Aladdin said hastily. Was she onto him? Did she know he was a liar?

 "Right. A prince like you." Jasmine said, cocking her head to the side, before her grin melted to an angry glare. "And every other stuffed-shirt, swaggering, peacock-Prince I've met!" She shouted, grabbing Aladdin's cape angrily and flinging it over his turbaned head. "I've had enough! Why don't you just… jump off a balcony?" She hollered, turning on her heel, and marching back into her room.

"What?" Aladdin shouted back, confused. He pulled his cape off his head, as the bee/Genie flew to his ear.

"Stop her! Stop her! Hey-- want me to sting her?" He asked.

"Buzz off." Aladdin whispered.

"All right." Genie groaned. "But remember: Bee yourself."

"Yeah, right!" Aladdin yelled at him angrily, as the genie flew into the lamp under Aladdin's turban.

"What did you say?!" Jasmine cried furiously. She turned to glare at him, and Aladdin found that her piercing stare was enough to make him want to be back down in the garden with Abu.

"I said that… you're right." He shrugged. "You're not just some 'prize to be won'. You should be free to make your own choices." Jasmine's fierce look slowly started to fade, as they stared at each other. Aladdin sighed. "I'll… I'll just go." He turned to jump onto the carpet, which was hovering out of view.

Aladdin hopped off the balcony, as Jasmine screamed, "No! Don't!"

"What? What?" Prince Ali asked, his head poking from above the railing. Jasmine stared at him, mystified.

"How… are you doing that?" She asked, as Prince Ali flew up and over the railing on a flying carpet.

"It's a magic carpet." Ali explained.

"It's lovely…" Jasmine beamed, as the carpet took her hand in its tassel, and kissed it.

"You, uh, wouldn't want to go for a ride, would you?" Ali asked, hopefully. "We could get out of the palace… see the world?"

"Is it safe?" She asked him.

"Sure. Do you trust me?" He asked the princess, holding out his hand, just like the boy at the marketplace had done.

"What?" She asked him breathlessly.

"Do you trust me?" Ali repeated in a whisper.

"Yes." Jasmine said, as a sly grin crept over her face. She took his hand, and he pulled her onto the magic carpet.

Ali continued to hold her hand for a moment, as they looked at each other. But suddenly, the carpet lurched forward, knocking them both back into sitting positions. Excitedly, Jasmine looked back and saw Raja staring after them, looking befuddled and bewildered. She smiled as the carpet dipped over the palace walls and up into the starry night sky.

Flying over Agrabah was amazing. Jasmine felt as though nothing in the world could match with the feeling. The carpet abruptly ducked downward into the city that was now quiet with rest. Ali gently plucked a flower out of a planter box, and handed it to her, with a smile. She looked at him, as all her frustrated feelings slowly started to dissolve.

The carpet then flew straight up into the clouds. Agrabah shrunk into the distance, as fluffy white billows surrounded the pair. A small cloud flew right into Jasmine's hands, and she gently tossed it back into the air. The carpet soared out of the clouds, and right into an endless sky diamond sky.

"It's so beautiful…" Jasmine whispered.

"Hold your breath-- it gets better!" Ali grinned, as the carpet plummeted downward. Hovering above The Nile, hundreds of boats surrounded them. With a swoop, they neared the great Sphinx. Jasmine and Ali waved excitedly at the man carving the nose, but he was so startled by their carpet, that the whole nose chipped off.

"Oh no!" Jasmine laughed, slapping her hand over her eyes.

"Don't you dare close your eyes!" Ali chuckled, grabbing her hands away from her face, as they neared a huge group of galloping horses. Jasmine eagerly stroked one of them, as the carpet weaved in and around their stomping hooves.

The carpet flew them through Greece, and into a large orchard with a glittering river. Ali ripped two apples off one of the trees as they passed, and slid Jasmine's to her from his shoulder to his elbow. Recalling the trick from the boy in the market, she smiled surreptitiously, and held the apple tightly in one hand.

And as the carpet slowed, it floated on the sparkling river. Ali looked uncomfortable for a moment, but Jasmine gently rested her head on his shoulder, and he took her hand in his.

"It's all so magical." Jasmine sighed, as she sat closely to Aladdin. He smiled, and put his arm around her, while they looked out at the Chinese New Year firework show.

The night had been perfect. With Jasmine's hand in his, and her head against his chest, he felt wonderful. He never wanted this night to end.

"You know, it's a real shame Abu had to miss this." Jasmine said softly.

"Nah. He hates fireworks… and he doesn't really like flying either." But slowly, as he realized what he had just said, he sat up straight. "No-- I mean, uh…"

"I knew it!" Jasmine proclaimed, sitting up, and looking Aladdin right dead in the eye. She pulled off his turban. "You are the boy from the marketplace, aren't you? Why would you lie to me?"

"Jasmine, I--"

"Did you think I was stupid?!"

"No!"

"That I wouldn't find out?!"

"No! Well, that is, I hoped you wouldn't… Wait-- that's not what I meant…" Aladdin rambled. He had been caught… she knew… everything was crumbling around him. He had to think fast…

"Well?" Jasmine prompted. "Who are you? Tell me the truth."

"The truth?" Aladdin repeated, trying to buy time. "The truth… the truth is… I sometimes _dress_ as a commoner… to escape the pressures of palace life!" He risked a glance at the carpet, which had sunken down in defeat. "But, uh, I really am a prince!" He added, just for good measure.

Jasmine looked at him with pursed lips. "Why didn't you just tell me?"

"Well, you know… royalty going out into the city in disguise… it sounds a little strange, don't you think?" Aladdin shrugged.

"Not _that_ strange." Jasmine smiled. And again, she leaned up against him, and Aladdin knew that all was well.

The carpet flew toward Jasmine's balcony, and Jasmine knew that her night of wonder and romance had come to an end. The carpet unfurled itself into steps, and she stepped down them carefully.

She moved to the railing, as the carpet swooped out of view, but leaving Ali leaning against the banister.

"Goodnight, my handsome prince." She said softly.

"Sweet dreams, Princess." Ali said. But the carpet bumped him up suddenly, and their lips met much sooner than expected-- though neither one pulled away.

But all too soon, Jasmine stepped away slowly. She walked over to the curtain, and was just about to walk in, when she found herself looking over her shoulder at Ali. He was smiling at her, and she turned and went into her room.

Aladdin watched Princess Jasmine enter her room, with an overjoyed grin on his face. "YES!" He cried in a whisper, allowing himself to fall back. The carpet let him free-fall for a moment, before catching him on his back, and easing him toward the ground.

"For the first time in my life, carpet, things are starting to go right." He sighed, still watching the balcony.

But suddenly, a pair of cold hands grabbed his elbows, and another pulled the carpet out from under him. Aladdin landed on the grass with a painful thud, as another man pulled a gag over his mouth.

"Abu! Abu!" He tried to shout, but as he looked around wildly for help, he saw that Abu was trapped in a net, and carpet was being tied to a tree.

"Hold him!" One man said, as more men slapped shackles on his hands and feet. The man who had suppressed him grabbed Aladdin's head, and held it up to the moonlight.

Walking towards them was the Grand Vizier, Jafar. "That's the one." He scowled. "I'm afraid that you've worn out your welcome, Prince Abooboo." Jafar said, his voice dripping with honey. But unexpectedly, he spat in Aladdin's face and he laughed wickedly. "Make sure he's never found."

The men pulled an unconscious Aladdin out to a large cliff on the other side of Agrabah. Laughing, they strapped his shackles to a rock, and pushed him into a large body of water.

As soon as Aladdin hit the water, he returned to consciousness. He strained with all his might to kick upward, as the deep, suppressing, water bubbled around him. No air was left in his lungs… it felt as though someone with a steamroller were plowing over his ribs, and cutting into them with knifes. His muscles tensed, as the hazy moon grew smaller and smaller above the waves.

He tried to gasp for air, but none came, and he felt water filling his lungs. He gave up trying to reach the surface, and passed out, as his knees scraped the sand at the bottom.

Aladdin's turban hit the floor very near to his hands… and there was the lamp, gleaming in the eerie underwater light. As Aladdin's torso collapsed to the sea floor, his hands brushed up against the golden lamp, and the genie emerged.

"Never fails! You get in the tub, and there's a rub at the lamp." He groaned, pulling off a shower cap, and squeezing a rubber duck. He turned, and noticed Aladdin. "Al?! Aladdin?! Oh- you can't cheat on this one! Kid, snap out of it!"  
 He demanded. "I can't help you unless you make a wish… I want you to say 'Genie, I want you save my life.' Come on, Aladdin!" He screamed, shaking Aladdin by the shoulders. Aladdin did nothing, but his head flopped woozily to his shoulder. "I'll take that as a yes." The Genie decided. "WOOGA! WOOGA!" He became a submarine, and he grabbed Aladdin, a pulled him to the surface.

Coughing, Aladdin breathed deeply.

"Don't you scare me like that!" Genie scolded.

"Genie… I, uh… I…" Aladdin muttered, but instead of waiting for words to come, he just hugged him. "Thank you."

"Oh, Al. I'm getting fond of you, kid." Genie replied, pushing Aladdin onto his shoulders as he started to fly toward Agrabah. "Not that I wanna pick out curtains or anything…"


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

"Oh, thank goodness!" Riar sighed. "For a moment there, I thought that Jafar had won."

"Well, my story is not finished, yet." Scheherazade said with a mischievous smile. She glanced out the window the moon was still high in the sky… she wondered how long she could make this tale last, for honestly, she wasn't sure where it was headed. "_Back at the palace, Jasmine sat in front of her mirror, thinking of Ali, and humming dreamily…"_

 She couldn't stop thinking about that night's events. Ali was so different from those other princes who spoke non stop about their riches, how big their palaces were or how many servants they had. Prince Ali actually let her talk; he hadn't bragged once or made her feel like a trophy on a pedestal. In fact he hardly said anything about himself; it almost made her wonder.

"Jasmine!" Sultan called to his daughter. The princess turned in her seat in front of the vanity to see her father. She could not wait to tell him of what happened.

"Oh Father—I just had the most wonderful time, I'm so happy!"

"You should be Jasmine," said the Sultan in a monotonous voice. "I have chosen a husband for you."

"What?" She asked confused, something wasn't right. As a cacophony of thoughts raced through her head, the adjacent door burst opened to reveal the evil adviser.

"You shall wed Jafar." The king told her in a voice that was not his own. Jasmine gasped, this couldn't be happening; she wanted Ali.

"You're speechless, I see," Jafar chuckled with inequity. "A fine quality in a wife."

Jasmine regained her ability to speak and immediately spat back at him, "I will never marry you!" She turned to her father pleading, "Father, I choose Ali."

"Ha, Prince Ali left!" Glee was more than apparent in the vizier's voice.  

"Better check you crystal ball again, Jafar." Jasmine and the adviser did an about face to see Ali.

"How the he—oh, uh, awk!" Iago screeched from Jafar's shoulder.

"Come on, tell them the truth." Prince Ali demanded. "You tried to have me killed!"

Jafar regained himself and turned to the Sultan. "Ridicules nonsense, your highness. He is obviously lying." He brought his cobra head staff's glowing red eyes closer to the Sultan's face. 

"Obviously…lying." He repeated in his hypnotized state.

"Father, what's wrong with you?!" Jasmine asked, near to hysterics.

"I know!" Ali grabbed the staff from Jafar's hand, brought it into a swinging arc letting it come in contact with the floor. The cobra head shattered like glass and pieces slid out in all directions.

"Oh, oh my." Sultan looked around confused. Ali took this opportunity to explain.

"Your highness, Jafar has been controlling you, with this." He presented the broken staff to the Sultan.

"What? But Jafar! You, you traitor!" The three advanced on Jafar as he tried to come up with a feasible reason for his actions.

"Your majesty, this can be explained." Yet the Sultan would hear nothing of it.

 "Guards, guards! Take him away!"

"Well, that's it--we're dead, forget about it.  Just dig a grave for both of us.  We're dead." Iago squawked from his perch. Jafar ignored Iago and looked for some possible escape before the guards came. Then he spotted it, the lamp in Ali's pocket—but wait, Aladdin had the lamp. That must mean…

Jafar lunged for the lamp but was restrained by two royal guards who had just appeared.

"This is not done yet, boy!" The advisor cried, reaching into his pocket for a vile, which he smashed against the floor. From it an angry red cloud rose shrouding everyone in a mist and once it cleared Jafar was nowhere in sight.

"Find him; search everywhere!" Yelled the Sultan.

"Are you alright?" Aladdin asked turning to Jasmine.

"Now, I am." She replied smiling. Aladdin leaned in to kiss her, only to have the Sultan barge in between him.

"Jafar, my most trusted counselor, plotting against me all this time.  Just horrible.  How will I ever--" He stopped in mid sentence to look at the pair. "Can it be true?  My daughter has finally chosen a suitor?" Jasmine nodded affirmatively. "Ha ha!  Praise Allah!  You brilliant boy, I could kiss you! I won't--I'll leave that to my-- You two will be wed at once! Yes, yes.  And you'll be happy and prosperous, and then my boy, you will be sultan!" The King was ecstatic.

"Sultan?" Aladdin asked with a quizzical look, he had never thought this far.         "Yes, a fine upstanding youth like yourself, a person of your unimpeachable moral character is exactly what this kingdom needs!"

"We gotta get outta here!  We gotta get--  I gotta start packing, your highness. Only essentials." Iago began to franticly throw things into his bird cage. Jafar offered nothing but a malicious smile.

"Travel light! Bring the guns, the weapons, the knives…" He stopped for a second and took out a picture of him and Jafar. "How about this?  I don't know--I think I'm making weird face in it." The advisor began to laugh wildly.

"Oh, boy--he's gone nuts.  He's cracked." The sarcastic parrot flew down and knocked on his head. "Jafar? Jafar? Get a grip, Jafar!" Jafar's hand flashed out and had Iago's neck in his clutches before he knew what happened. "Good grip!" Wheezed the bird.

"Prince Ali is nothing more than that ragged urchin Aladdin.  He has the lamp, Iago." He Growled

     "Why that miserable--" Started Iago.

"But you are going to relieve him of it!" Jafar regained his evil grin.

"Me?" Gulped Iago. But, seeing a bright opportunity, he added, "What'll you give me?"

"What do you mean?" Jafar glowered.

"I want you to make me a man again." Iago squawked quickly, as he hopped onto the windowsill, out of Jafar's reach, in case he decided to pummel him.

"Fine, Iago." Jafar said angrily. "Bring me the lamp, and I shall release you from your curse."

"Done."

"Well? What now?" Riar asked Scheherazade. "What's Aladdin going to do? Being Sultan is no easy task, quite frankly, and I don't think he's quite up to the challenge--"

"Now, my King. What makes you so sure our hero isn't up to the challenge? He's already won the heart of the princess…"

"Winning the princess is the easy part." He whispered. "It's keeping her faithful, and by your side for all time that most find difficult."

Almost instantly, she wished she hadn't mentioned love at all, for the look on her husband's face was grieving and hurt. Scheherazade recalled just as well as the rest of the kingdom how the Sultan had reached this point of no return with his wives. His Queen and chosen one had betrayed him, and had fallen in love with another man behind her husband's back. When Riar learned of this treachery, he plunged into a dark place that no one could pull him back from. He killed his traitor of a wife, and from that day forth, vowed never to trust a woman again.

Scheherazade looked down at the lacy bedspread. "I'm sorry, sire."

"It doesn't matter." Riar growled.

"Sire?"

"What is it?"

"It may not matter to you now, but I would never hurt you as your first Queen did." She said sincerely. At first, her King did not answer, but starred out the window into the inky black sky. "And I mean it with all my heart."

"Thank you, Scheherazade." He said gently.

Scheherazade paused, wondering if he would want her to continue with the story. But when he looked at her expectantly, she smiled and continued, "_Meanwhile, Aladdin approached his princely guest house looking much gloomier than one might think…"_

The morning sun shown down and hit Aladdin's back as he ripped off his turban, and rubbed his hand through his hair. "They want me to be Sultan… _me!"_ He whispered in disbelief. How could this have happened? Why didn't he think about this?

When he had cooked up this scheme, he was only thinking of Jasmine and how much he wanted to get to know her… and he had! And she was everything he wanted. But was he ready for marriage into a royal family? Why hadn't he considered that a princess would be expecting more from him than any other girl he met on the streets?

The streets. He laughed bitterly to himself. It was crazy to think that only a few days ago he had been scrounging for food with Abu. And now look at them—Abu was an elephant!

"Hazzah!" Genie cried, escaping from his lamp and bursting into a one-man band. "Hail the conquering hero!" He flung off his band gear, and whipped out a camera to interview Aladdin. "So, you've just won the heart of the Princess—what are you going to do next?!"

Aladdin pushed past him, obviously not amused. He flung himself on the huge bed and frowned. The Genie hovered over to him and sat next to him innocently before pulling a script out from under a pillow. "Psst! Your line is: 'I'm going to free the Genie.' Anytime." He whispered between his teeth.

"I can't."

"Sure you can!" He said with full confidence. He used Aladdin's face as a mock ventriloquist dummy and teasingly said, "'Genie, I wish you free.'" Aladdin pulled his face out of the Genie's big blue hands.

"I'm serious." Aladdin said, leaning against the window frame in defeat. "I—I'm sorry."

"I don't know what you're talking about, Al." Genie said, trying to smile like Aladdin was joking.

"They want to make me Sultan!" Aladdin shouted. "No—they want to make Prince Ali Sultan! Without you, I'm just Aladdin."

"Al, you won!"

"Because of you! The only reason anyone thinks I'm anything is because of you! What happens if they find out I'm not really a prince?" He said angrily. In shock, he whispered to himself, "What if Jasmine finds out…?"

"Al--"

"I'll lose her, Genie!" Aladdin said desperately. "I can't keep this up on my own. I can't wish you free."

The Genie frowned and grew stern. "Hey, I understand." He said harshly. "After all, you've lied to everyone else, I was beginning to feel left out." He began to shrink back into his lamp. "Now, if you'll excuse me, _master."_ He said with contempt and disgust hanging from every word.

Overhearing the conversation, Abu and the carpet listened by the window and both cringed at Genie's words.

"Genie, come on. I'm really sorry." Aladdin begged. A tongue emerged from the lamp and raspberries him. "Well fine!" Aladdin yelled at the lamp. "Then just-- stay in there!" He grabbed a pillow and jammed it on top of the lamp, fuming.

"Ooh." Abu clucked from the window. Aladdin whipped around to glare at the monkey/elephant and the magic carpet.

"What are _you_ looking at?!" Aladdin bellowed, with more anger than he had intended. Abu and carpet looked at him for a moment then budged away from the windowsill. "Guys… come back—I'm sorry." But they were long gone.

Aladdin flopped back onto the comforters and sighed. "What am I doing?" He asked himself. He shook his head. They were right. All three of them: he had to start telling the truth.

"Ali! Oh, Ali! Will you come here?"

Jasmine. She was calling him from the distance, and he knew that Jasmine deserved the truth more than anyone. He loved her, and he knew that she could never love him in return until she knew who he really was.

"I'm coming—where are you?!"

"I'm, uh, in the menagerie!" Iago said, from outside Aladdin's quarters, perched on stilts and sporting a beak much like the flamingos that surrounded him. Thanks to Jafar's magic spell, Iago could imitate people impeccably and getting the lamp from Aladdin would be no problem.

"On my way!" Aladdin shouted, as Iago watched him descend the steps at a run, clutching his turban nervously.

Iago chuckled evilly when Aladdin sank into the distance. "You got a problem, pinky?!" He screeched at a flamingo that was admiring him with interest.

Iago flapped away from the stupid birds and into Aladdin's quarters. He landed on the back of a chair and observed the room. Everything was decked out in the most expensive of fabrics and the bed was more than king size. The paintings on the wall were excellent and Iago wondered greedily how much one might go for…

"Aha!" Iago noticed the pillow placed oddly in the middle of the bed and caught a glint of gold from underneath it. "Jafar's gonna be glad to see you!" Iago laughed to himself as he flew over to the bed and kicked the pillow off his prize. He stretched out his face to imitate Jafar with accuracy: "Good work Iago!" Normally: "Ah, go on!" "No really, on a score of 1 to 10, you are by far an eleven!" "Ah, Jafar! You're too kind—you're embarrassing me! I'm blushing!"

He scooped up the lamp and flew out the window, still congratulating himself in two different voices.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Jasmine smiled as Ali dashed up the steps at the entrance to the palace. She was so excited: the kingdom was finally going to hear her decision to marry Ali. Ali was so fabulous; she couldn't believe that she had almost given up on him before even meeting him…

"I've been looking all over the menagerie for you." Ali breathed heavily. "Then I got your father's message to meet you here… why?"

"You'll see." She said, pulling him to her as she adjusted his turban.

"Look, there's something I've got to tell you." He said softly.

"The whole kingdom has turned out for father's announcement!" She said, on the verge of laughter.

"Announcement?" He asked in confusion. But he shook it off and said, "Jasmine, you've got to listen to me—please."

"People of Agrabah! My daughter, the princess has finally chosen a suitor!" Aladdin heard the Sultan shout through the curtains, and Aladdin heard a cheer from a crowd.

"What's going on, Jasmine?" Ali asked.

"Good luck!" She said, and kissed his cheek and pushed him out through the curtains at the top of the stairs.

"And here is: Prince Ali Ababwa!" The Sultan cried, leading Aladdin out to the edge of a balcony.

He looked out and saw thousands of people looking up at him scrutinizing his every move. "Oh, boy…" He smiled sheepishly, and waved. The crowd of people clapped and cheered, but Aladdin could almost hear them all asking one another, "Doesn't he look familiar?" "He couldn't be that street-rat Aladdin-kid, could he?" "Whatever happened to that boy, anyways?"

"Just look at them, cheering on that pathetic pipsqueak." Iago mumbled. He flexed his new fingers, and looked out the window nervously.

"Let them cheer." Jafar smiled, as he held the lamp up to the light. Iago turned to look at his master and saw an evil glint in his eyes. Iago watched Jafar caress the lamp with his palm, and sure enough a blue figure emerged from the lamp's nozzle.

"You know, Al, I'm getting reallyyyyyyy—I don't think you're him." The Genie replied in a mix of shock and worry. He pulled out a playbill and put on glasses. "Tonight, the role of Aladdin will be played by a tall, dark, and sinister ugly man… hm."

"_I_ am your master now." Jafar said with a smile. He threw the Genie to the ground and put his foot on top of his face.

"I was afraid of that…"

"Genie! Grant me my first wish: I wish to rule on high, as Sultan!"

Aladdin was still so shocked and amazed as he looked out at the faces of the people of Agrabah that he didn't notice the sky suddenly grow overcast and dark. But everyone below him saw the flash of red lightening that brought Jafar to the ground in an instant.

People screamed at the sight of the traitorous advisor, and ran away from the palace in mobs. Aladdin whipped around to face his enemy. Their eyes locked and Jafar grinned and the ground began to quake and rumble.

In another bright flash, the Sultan was left with only his underwear and Jafar was dressed in all white.

"Jafar! You vile betrayer!" The Sultan screamed.

"That's _Sultan_ Vile Betrayer to you!" Iago squawked.

"Oh yeah?" Aladdin smiled sneakily. "We'll just see about that!" He ripped his turban off of his head, expecting to see the lamp in it, like always, but found that it wasn't there. His eyes grew wide as he looked up at Jafar.

"Finders keepers, Aboo-boo." Jafar said, as he swung the lamp around his finger in accomplishment. Aladdin starred at the lamp as the image of him smacking a pillow over it flashed past his eyes. Suddenly, the ground began to shake once more, and Jafar looked up to the sky. Aladdin followed his gaze and he saw the Genie lifting the palace off of the ground. Jasmine and her father struggled to keep their balance, but Aladdin whistled for the carpet, which came in a hurry.

Aladdin flew up to his friend. "Genie! Don't do this!" He screamed.

"Sorry, kid, but I've got a new master now." He answered solemnly. Aladdin hovered near the Genie's head as he placed the palace on top of a mountain.

"Jafar! I order you to stop!" Her father commanded, shaking with rage and fear.

"Ah, but there's a new order now—_my order."_ Jafar laughed. "Finally _you_ will bow to _me_." The Sultan began to bow reluctantly, but Jasmine stepped forward to stop him.

"We will never bow to you!" She cried defiantly.

"Why am I not surprised?" Iago shrugged.

"If you will not bow before the Sultan," Jafar said calmly, "then you will _cower_ before a sorcerer! Genie!" He turned, his cloak whipping around behind him. The Genie looked down at him, and Aladdin watched his face carefully. "For my second wish:" Jafar said excitedly. "I wish to be the most powerful sorcerer in the world!"

"Genie, no." Aladdin whispered. But the Genie extended his finger anyway. "Don't do it, Genie!" Aladdin yelled. He grabbed his friend's huge thumb and tried to aim it away from Jafar, but a magical bolt of lightening shot out from it anyway and hit Jafar, who began to smile with pleasure. His white robes became red and black once more, and his snake staff restored.

"Now, where were we? Ah yes, abject humiliation!" Jafar cackled. He pointed his staff at Jasmine and the Sultan, and in a glow of purple, they fell to their knees and began to bow repeatedly, kissing the ground.

Raja came running at Jafar, a loud growl rumbling in his throat, but Jafar just chuckled again. "Down, boy!" And Raja was nothing but a kitten. "Now, then, Princess." Jafar said with a sinister smile. Still in the odd glow, Jasmine rose close to Jafar's face. "There's someone I'm dying to introduce you to…"

"Get your hands off of her!" Aladdin yelled, pulling the carpet downward. He leaped off to pound Jafar into the ground, when Jafar zapped him with the same spell as Jasmine.

"Ali--" Jasmine cried helplessly.

"Ali? _Ali?!_" Jafar laughed. Aladdin looked to the ground. "My dearest, I'm afraid he has been deceiving you!" Using his staff, he directed Jasmine and Aladdin closer together, so they were nearly touching. Jasmine watched Aladdin's face and he felt his heart breaking for her. "That's right!" Jafar yelled. "Say hello to you precious Prince Ali!" With every word, he hit Aladdin with a painful blast from his staff, and Aladdin soon found himself back in his street-rat clothes. He looked at himself, and then up to Jasmine, who looked shocked.

"Or should we say _Aladdin?!"_ Iago laughed.

"Jasmine—I tried to tell you! I'm not--"

"So all this time, his love for you was just a con…" Jafar said with a shrug. He zapped Aladdin once more, so he was spinning uncomfortably in the air.

"That's not true!" Aladdin tried to yell.

"It's too bad he's such an excellent liar, eh, Princess?" Jafar smiled. Aladdin stopped spinning, but was left hanging upside down. Jafar approached Jasmine and held her chin in his bony hand, and because of the spell, she couldn't move away. Aladdin's vision was growing blurry as the blood rushed to his head, but the look on Jasmine's face was more than clear. 

Jafar dropped Jasmine's face, and the spell was broken. She fell to the floor. Jafar turned to Aladdin. "Poor Aladdin; all his work for nothing." He pinched Aladdin's cheek tauntingly and slapped him in the face. "Well, it seems as though your path has been chosen, Ali Aboo-boo. And take your monkey with you." Jafar swung his staff in the air, and Aladdin flew into one of the towers of the castle, followed by Abu, who was returned to a primate.

Aladdin smacked against one of the walls. His hands groped for something to hold onto, but his hands slid against the bare wall. But the next thing he knew, the tower split off from the rest of the castle, and Aladdin and Abu were flying through the air. Aladdin saw the carpet fly in through the only window to help them, but he was too late.

The tower had landed, but where, Aladdin didn't know. All he knew was that he had never been so cold in his life. Snow surrounded him, and he called Abu's name as he rubbed his frozen arms in vain.

Aladdin saw a pile of snow nearby twitch, and Aladdin dove toward it and dug Abu out. "I'm so sorry, Abu. I've made a mess out of everything. This is all my fault." He sighed. "I should have freed the Genie when I had the chance." He cradled Abu under his vest and started toward where he thought Agrabah was. But, as he walked near the tower, he stepped on the magic carpet. "Abu! Help me dig!" With their effort, the tower began to roll toward them. Terrified, Abu squawked and Aladdin grabbed him. He ran to where he estimated the window of the tower to land and crouched down. Sure enough, the window rolled right over them, and they were safe.

Aladdin looked to the carpet, which shook snow off of itself and looked back at Aladdin expectantly. "Yeah! All right!" Aladdin cheered. He jumped on the carpet's back and Abu followed. "To Agrabah—let's go!"

But back at Agrabah, things were much worse. Jasmine looked out the window sadly, and saw that dark clouds had surrounded the kingdom and there seemed no escape. Looking back into the throne room, she saw Iago jamming crackers down her father's throat, laughing at his revenge.

Jafar tugged on the chains that were attached around Jasmine's wrists. She walked over to him, trying to hold her head high.

Jafar looked at the princess happily. Dressed in red, she seemed so fit to be his Queen at last. He smiled to himself.

 "Tell that _thing_ to leave my father alone." Jasmine said, tears springing to her eyes. But Iago didn't stop.

"It pains me to see you reduced to this, Princess." Jafar said. He pointed to an apple in the fruit bowl next to Jasmine and she scowled, and picked up the fruit to feed him. "A beautiful desert bloom such as yourself deserves to be on the arm of the most powerful man in the world." He accidentally spat some apple onto Jasmine's face and she flicked it off disgustedly. But Jafar hadn't noticed. He waved his hand, and a glowing gold crown appeared before Jasmine. "What do you say?"

Jasmine reached behind her for a goblet of wine, and threw it in his face. "Never!"

"I'll teach you some respect!" He shouted, raising his hand to hit her. Fearfully, Jasmine fled backwards and crashed into the fruit table. It broke beneath her, and she cowered on the floor.

"No." Jafar grinned, watching her face that was etched with terror. "No."

He turned around to the Genie, who was seated on a pouf looking dismal. "For my third and final wish, Genie, I wish for the Princess Jasmine to fall _desperately_ in love with me." Jasmine gasped in horror.

"Eh, sir?" Genie said. "There are a few addendas—a few quid pro quos--"

"Nonsense!" Jafar screeched. "Don't you talk back to me, you stupid, blue, lout! You will do what I order, slave!"

Worried, Jasmine looked up to the ceiling and saw Ali—no, Aladdin—at the window. He had come back. She racked her mind for ways to help him, and decided that a good distraction would come in great handy to him.

"Oh, Jafar." She said, rising to her feet as seductively as she could. She bent down and picked up the golden crown and set it on her head. "I never realized how incredibly… handsome you are."

The Genie's jaw dropped, as did Jafar's. But Jafar closed Genie's mouth with a tug on his beard, and zapped the manacles off Jasmine's wrists. "That's more like it." He said to the Genie softly. "Now, my dear." He said to Jasmine, walking towards her and putting his hands on her waist. "Tell me more about… myself."

Aladdin saw what Jasmine was doing for him, and their eyes locked. It was a moment that seemed to last forever—his eyes told her that he was sorry, and that he loved her. She looked at him longingly, wishing she could be with him, instead of Jafar. "Well, you're tall… well-dressed…"

With Jafar taken care of, Aladdin slid down the long tapestry, and Abu and the carpet followed. The Genie spotted him, and hurried to his side.

"Al! Al, little buddy!" He said excitedly.

"Shh!"

The Genie zipped his mouth shut and looked at Jafar and Iago to see if they had heard anything. When the coast was clear, he unzipped his mouth again. "Al, I can't help you—I work for Señor Psychopath, now!" He said in an exasperated whisper. His head popped into Jafar's, then popped back to normal.

"Hey, I'm a street-rat, remember? I'll improvise." Aladdin said with a shrug. He zipped Genie's mouth shut again.

Aladdin slid down a pile of coins and treasures, making hardly a sound. But now he was much closer to his goal, the lamp, and Jasmine and Jafar.

"Go on." Jafar sneered.

"And your beard is so… _twisted_." Jasmine said, reaching her hand over his shoulder to point to the pedestal where the lamp sat. Aladdin saw the motion, and made his move.

Iago saw him, but Abu was faster, and jumped on his back and covered his mouth before he could say a word.

"And the street-rat?"

"What street-rat?" Jasmine said with a nonchalant shrug. But Iago managed to knock over a bowl, causing Jafar to try to turn. Undecidedly, Jasmine grabbed his face and kissed him.

Aladdin, Abu, and Iago watched with disgust.

Breaking away from the kiss, Jafar was very pleased. "That was--" But looking into the reflection of Jasmine's crown, he saw the street-rat, Aladdin. He turned around angrily.

"YOU! How many times do I have to kill you, boy?!" Jafar shouted. He reached for his staff.

"Jasmine! Get the lamp!" Aladdin yelled. She nodded and made for the pedestal.

"Ah, ah, ah, princess—your time is up!" Jafar scolded. He used his serpent staff to zap Jasmine inside of a huge hourglass. Aladdin's eyes grew wide as he saw sand begin to fall on her head.

"Jasmine!" Aladdin cried. He ran to her side, and pounded on the glass with his palms. Jasmine rushed to him, and put her hands on top of his, though neither one could feel the comfort of the other's touch.

"Oh, that is so pathetic…" Riar sighed.

"What's pathetic about it, sire?" Scheherazade asked. She had hoped that this would be exciting, not cheesy.

"That she still loves him! After all the lies he's told!" The King said. "It's quite unrealistic."

"But he came back for her." Scheherazade replied. "She knew that he had not lied about his love for her, when he came back to save her."

"How? How did she know?"

"It is hard to say." She shrugged. "But she just knows. It's a feeling inside."

"I don't see how she could have felt that after he lied about his identity. I would not be able to forgive so easily." Rair grumbled.

"That may be so, sire." Scheherazade said softly. "And it is apparent to me that you are more inclined to try to forget, than forgive, though I know you can not do either."

"What in Allah's name is _that_ supposed to mean?!" Riar bellowed.

Scheherazade shook her head. She wondered if she should test his patience and speak what had been on her mind for a long time. "I mean that you try to punish all women for the mistake that your wife made years ago!" She said passionately. "You've been killing off thousands of women, and yet you are still not happy. And I know why. You cannot forget the pain within your own heart, and therefore you cannot forgive, and you cannot be happy. You can't honestly tell me that you enjoy killing women and slicing their families' hearts in two. And I'm right, aren't I?"

Riar was silent. "Continue with the story, Scheherazade. Please." He said monotonously.

"I shall." She snapped. _"Iago howled, as Abu knocked him out with a goblet, before running towards the lamp. With a crude smile, Jafar zapped Abu into a toy monkey with cymbals crashing. Aladdin yelled out Abu's name, tearing his eyes away from Jasmine in her hourglass prison…"_


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

The carpet rushed towards Jafar in heroic attempt to knock him down and be of help to Aladdin. "Ha ha ha! Things are unraveling fast now, boy!" Bright light erupted from the eyes of the cobra staff, hitting the carpet. Then as if an invisible hand grabbed one of his threads, the carpet was soon reduced to a heap of string on the floor. Aladdin paused momentarily as he watched the carpet fall, before running again for the lamp.

"Get the point?" Jafar yelled and a large sword appeared, blocking the street-rat's path. The new ruler of Agrabah snatched up the magic lamp and laughed hideously; his sanity was definitely something to be questioned. "I'm just getting _warmed_ up!" he breathed fire and encircled Aladdin within.

"Are you afraid to fight me yourself, you cowardly snake?" Aladdin challenged.

"A snake, am I?" More insane laughter. "Perhaps you'd like to see how snake like I can be." Jafar smiled broadly and a forked snake tongue came from between his teeth. From there his transformation came quickly, he shot up changing all the way until he was a humongous cobra. Aladdin's fiery prison turned into the tail of the snake. The twelve man long reptile made darting attempts to sink his venomous teeth into Aladdin's flesh. As Jafar poised himself for the third strike Aladdin pulled the sword from the ground behind him and swung it with all his might and struck the cobra.

"Yes, go Al!" A squad of cheerleading Genies with a large "A" on their uniforms hopped around doing high kicks and waving their pom-poms. They came together for a cheer. "Rick 'em, rock 'em, rack 'em, rake, stick that sword into that snake!"

Reeling his ugly head to face the Genie the serpent hissed. "You stay out of thisss!"

Genie poofed back to regular holding a tiny flag with a "J" on it and weakly chanted. "Jafar, Jafar, he's our man—if he can't do it GREAT!"

Aladdin used the Genie's distraction to run for the hourglass that confined Jasmine. Yet before he could reach her, Jafar noticed him and slapped his tail before him to block his way. Aladdin was thrown back onto a pile of treasure and his sword lost.

"Aladdin!" Jasmine screamed banging her fists upon the glass.

Hearing her voice he got up and grabbed a large gem then slid down the pile and across the coin littered floor retrieving his sword as he went. Aladdin jumped off of the gem and darted around a corner with Jafar in hot pursuit, only he couldn't make the turn fast enough and smashed through a wall and onto the balcony. Seeing his chance Aladdin plunged his sword into his back. The serpent screamed in agony and the street smart boy made once more for Jasmine's glass cell. 

"Hang on!" He yelled and just as the sword was about to make contact with the hour glass Jafar grabbed Aladdin and pulled him away, dropping him amongst his coils.

"You little fool!" He laughed madly. "You fool, you thought you could defeat the most powerful being on earth?"

"Squeeze him Jafar!" Yelled Iago "Squeeze him like a—awk!" The Genie elbowed Iago in the ribs, silencing him instantly.

"With out the Genie, boy, you're _nothing_." Said Jafar. Aladdin took this into consideration then shot back.

"The Genie! The Genie has more power then you'll ever have!"

"What?!"

"He gave you your power, and he can take it away!"

"Al, what are you doing? Why are you bringing me into this?" Genie asked, looking a bit afraid.

"Face it Jafar—you're still just second best!" Continued Aladdin.

"Your right, his power does exceed my own…but not for long. He turned to face the Genie.

"The boy is crazy," Genie chuckled nervously "He's a little punch drunk, one too many hits from the snake." Genie turned his hand into a cobra look-a-like and hit his face with it.

"Slave, I make my third wish, I wish to be an all powerful Genie!" Jafar.

"All right," Genie sighed. "Your wish is my command, way to go Al." He added. He zapped Jafar and his serpent form vanished and was replaced with Jafar as a cruel looking red genie.

Jasmine's hand just disappeared beneath the sand as Aladdin smashed the glass and she and sand poured out.

"Yes, yes the power, the absolute power!" Jafar yelled looking himself over.

"What have you done?" Jasmine asked Aladdin in a fearful whisper.

"Trust me." He answered. A black lamp appeared at the base of Jafar, but he was too busy being caught up in his power mad greed to notice.

"The universe is mine to command, to control!"

"Not so fast Jafar." Called Aladdin. "Aren't you forgetting something?" The new made genie looked down questioningly. "You wanted to be a genie, you got it-- and everything that goes along with it!" Twin shackles appeared on Jafar's wrists.

"No, no!" He realized what he had wished for, as the lamp began to suck him in.

"I'm getting outta here!" Iago screeched but before he could get away Jafar grabbed his robes and he too was pulled into the lamp.

"Phenomenal cosmic powers," Aladdin said picking up the lamp, "Itty bitty living space."

"Well, that was lucky." Riar said with a small smile.

"Aladdin's a smart kid." Scheherazade replied with a shrug.

"I never would have thought to trick Jafar into a lifetime imprisonment. And who would free him? Quite clever."

"That it was." Scheherazade nodded. She glanced out the window and noticed that the sky was slowly starting to grow light again.

"Are you all right?" Riar asked, seeing his wife's detachment.

"Hm? Yes. Why wouldn't I be?"

"Do you know why I like stories?" He asked, not answering her question. "Because they take me away. Away from all the terrible things I've done, away from the responsibilities I can't forget that I have."

Scheherazade didn't say anything.

"It's funny that your stories can do that for me."

"I'm glad that I can do that for you." Scheherazade sighed.

"And I understand what you meant earlier. And you're right." He whispered, as he touched her hand gently. Scheherazade flinched at first, but let him hold her hand. "I know the things that I've done were wrong, and I know that an apology won't help now."

"You're right about that." Scheherazade said softly. But she made the mistake of looking into his face and seeing the sorrow in his eyes she had never truly noticed before. A rush of his pain hit her, and she saw for the first time that he was still healing, and that killing women had not helped as much as he thought it would. Being Sultan and hiding his aches from the world did not make them go away. He was human as much as anyone else.

"You want me to finish the story?" She asked. He smiled and nodded.

"Al! You did it! You little genius, you!" The Genie shouted with joy. In an instant, Abu was back to his normal state, and the carpet raveled back to normal (as normal as a magic carpet can be…) and Raja returned to a huge tiger as he jumped into the Sultan's arms. Aladdin felt the palace rumble as it reappeared in the city.

Aladdin looked down at the inky black lamp he was holding, and smiled as he listened to the low mumbled shouts that emerged from within. He glanced up and Jasmine was standing in front of him, dressed once more in blue. She smiled at him gently.

"Allow me." Genie said, taking the lamp from Aladdin. He walked over to the edge of the balcony, and said, "Ten-thousand years in the Cave of Wonders should chill them out!" He flicked the lamp off of his palm and the lamp flew away over the city into the deserted distance.

Jasmine took Aladdin's hand and took him around the corner to another balcony. She looked into his face. Aladdin would have thought he would have been happy to be standing with her now, with the truth known and the enemy defeated, but he just couldn't be. He wasn't a prince any longer, and their union was no longer acceptable.

"I'm sorry I lied to you." Aladdin said heavily.

"I know why you did." Jasmine answered. She put her arms around his neck and they held each other tightly, not seeing the Genie listening in nearby.

"So I guess this is good-bye." Aladdin replied, pulling away, and walking to the edge of the balcony, as he tried to assess the best way down, to escape the palace and the love he was so close to having forever.

"That stupid law!" Jasmine said angrily. She grabbed his arm as he swung his leg over the balcony. "This isn't fair. I love you." Aladdin stepped over the balcony with his other leg, knowing he had to leave. He kissed Jasmine, reminding him of their first kiss after their carpet ride.

The Genie emerged from his hiding place before Aladdin could climb down. "Al, it's no problem—you've still got one wish left. Just say the word and you are a prince again." He replied convincingly.

"But Genie, what about your freedom? I'm not going to make that mistake again." Aladdin said, shaking his head.

"It's only an eternity of servitude—this is love." Genie said, pulling Aladdin back over the balcony. "You're not gonna find another girl like this in another million years. Believe me, I know. I've looked." He pushed Aladdin and Jasmine together.

"Jasmine… I love you—I do." He whispered. "But I have to stop pretending to be something I'm not."

"I understand." She said softly. They looked into each other's eyes for the last time, and Aladdin stepped away from the princess and turned to the Genie.

"Genie, I wish for your freedom."

"One bona fide prince coming up—wait, what?" Genie asked in surprise.

"Genie, you're free." Aladdin replied, holding out the gold lamp to him.

The Genie looked at his wrists as his golden shackles broke off and fell to the floor with a clatter. There was silence as the Genie took the lamp out of Aladdin's hands and held it triumphantly. "I'm free." He whispered in disbelief. "I'm free! Hehe! I'm FREE!" He jammed the lamp into Aladdin's stomach. "Wish for something outrageous—wish for the Nile. Wish for the Nile." He said excitedly.

"Er, I wish for the Nile…"

"NO WAY!!" He laughed hysterically. "Man, turning people down feels GREAT!" He bounced around the balcony like a pinball and Aladdin and Jasmine watched his exuberant behavior without much interest. Genie began to pack a suitcase. "I'm outta here—I'm hitting the road. I'm off to see the world! I'm--" He glanced back down at Aladdin, who was looking at the lamp sadly.

"I'll miss you, Genie." Aladdin said, with a sad smile.

"Me too, Al. And no matter what anybody says, you'll always be a prince to me." Genie said sincerely, as he floated down to give Aladdin a tight hug.

"He's right, you know." The Sultan said, stepping out into the morning sun, with Abu, the carpet and Raja behind him. "You've certainly proved your worth—saving the royal family, the kingdom, and capturing a wanted criminal? It's that law that's the problem…"

"Father?" Jasmine asked, stepping towards him.

"Well, am I Sultan, or am I Sultan?" He laughed. "From this day forth, the princess may wed whomever she deems worthy."

"Him!" Jasmine smiled happily, as she ran into Aladdin's arms. "I choose—I choose you, Aladdin."

"Call me Al." They bent their heads together to kiss, when the Genie pulled everyone together in a rib-breaking group hug.

"C'mere! Group hug!" He cried, as Aladdin noticed that he was decked out in a Hawaiian shirt, Goofy hat, and golf clubs. "Mind if I kiss the monkey?" He asked, smooching Abu on the head. "Ahck—hairball! Well, I can't do any more damage around this Popsicle stand." He sighed, as he let go of everyone. He messed up Aladdin's hair by rubbing his head affectionately. He jumped up into the air, and started to fly away, shouting goodbyes. "Bye bye, you two crazy lovebirds! Hey Rugman: ciao! I'm history! No—I'm mythology! Aw, who cares _what_ I am?! I'm free!"

Aladdin watched his friend disappear into the sky, with a smile on his face. He put his arm around Jasmine's waist and they looked at each other happily.

"A whole new world…" She said to him, poking at the carpet ride.

"No." Aladdin said proudly. "A whole new life."

"Corny ending…" Riar laughed.

"Life has corny endings!" Scheherazade laughed defensively.

"I know that." He smiled. He looked out the window to see that the sun had fully risen. "I also know that you only tell me these wonderful stories every night just to save your neck."

"That's not true--" She cried, nervous that he had found out her secret.

"Come now, you just told me a story about how bad lies are. You're not going to lie to me now."

"I--"

"It's all right, Scheherazade. I just wanted to let you know that you don't have to do that anymore. Over the course of these…"

"1,001 nights?"

"…I've fallen in love with you." He said, with a smile. He crawled off the bed. "So thank you, for showing me my faults and that most women are not evil." He crossed the room, and left, closing the door behind him.

Scheherazade watched the door in shock. She turned over, and lay down on the bed, a wide smile on her face. She closed her eyes for the first safe, sleep since she entered the palace.

The End

_"Hehe! Made ya look!"_


End file.
